Asparagus in Charts: Mexico’s prices hit five-year low in U.S.

Asparagus is a product that has seen increasing consumption globally over the last few years, positioning it as a gourmet food item due to its nutritional characteristics and taste.

The two main suppliers of asparagus to the U.S. market over the last nine years have been Mexico and Peru – two of the world’s top exporters. Since 2015 there has been a sustained increase in volumes in the U.S. market, as can be seen in the charts below.

This increase in volume is mainly due to the rise in supplies from Mexico. For example, in April 2019, shipments of 17,000 metric tons (MT) were registered – a five year high and 22% up on the same month last year.

In related to per-kilogram prices, Mexico has generally received lower prices in the U.S. market than other origins, oscillating between US$2.74 and US$4.40, the latter of which is from 2015. In related to per-kilogram prices, Mexico has generally received lower prices in the U.S. market than other origins, moving between US$2.74 and US$4.40, the latter of which is from 2015.

April 2019 saw the lowest prices registered of the last five years in the U.S market, with the average price of US$1.83 per kilo, 32% lower year-on-year.

I believe that Mexico should focus on diversifying its asparagus markets, positioning itself as a leader in other markets not just for the fresh market, but the processed market, winning space on the tables of consumers around the world.

Written by: Cristian Crespo
Original published in FreshFruitPortal.com on May 28, 2019 (Link)