It is the peak of the Mexico papaya season and growers are reporting good production. There has been rain in some of the growing regions, but nothing out of the ordinary for this time of year, with overall conditions being favorable.
"Papaya is in season all across Mexico right now," said one grower. "April through July is when the peak of production occurs, with the winter months between November and February seeing the least. Growing conditions have been pretty good. This season so far we have had 12 - 15 inches of rain, which is not excessive, especially as now we are approaching the rainy season."
Market steady
Demand for papaya is good as summer brings on a boost in consumption for the fruit. With the good amount of supply around though, the market is holding steady. Prices are expected to steadily rise, before going still higher towards the end of summer when production slows down.
"Prices are currently $15.00 - $16.00 FOB Texas which is normal for this time of year," he shared. "It's going to stay between $15.00 - $17.00 for the next couple of months. Once the rainy season intensifies and starts affecting production, prices are expected to climb."
More and more hybrid varieties planted
The Maradol is one of the more well-known varieties of papaya. it has been noted however, that more growers are switching to the various hybrid varieties, that according to some growers will allow for more reliability, better resilience to pests and weather, and a longer shelf life.
"A lot of growers are moving to the hybrids. They are bred to be more resilient both to pests and to humidity. With hybrids, growers can use much less pesticides. Maradols tend to have a reduced shelf life, but the hybrids stay fresher for longer, making them more favorable for transportation. It is important to note that the hybrids are Non-GMO."
Food safety regulations boosting category
With recent outbreaks of E-Coli and Salmonella in some food products, consumers are paying more attention to food safety. Producers in Mexico, too, are keen to prove there is nothing to be concerned about when it comes to Mexican-grown produce. Therefore, when the FDA and its Mexican counterpart boosted inspections and audits of Mexican facilities, growers welcomed the move and said it only serves to boost the papaya category.
"The FDA and COFEPRIS have increased sampling of papaya and other products in recent months due to last year's salmonella outbreak," the source observed. "This is to ensure higher standards of food safety which is good for the industry, both for consumers as well as to demonstrate growers' commitment to making sure Mexican grown produce is safe and is grown to a high standard."
"We have seen the papaya category experience big increases in retail," he added. "More people are choosing healthier products and we hope that papaya will continue to grow and become a regular part of people's fruit choices."