Mexican Guava: Production, Export, and Price Movements in 2019

The production of guavas in Mexico is increasing. Although guavas can be produced year-round, most farmers focus their production on only a few months per year. Cordova & Cordoba, a Mexican exporter of guavas, only produced guavas for 4 months in 2018, but this year they produce the fruit for 10 months. Despite the increase in harvest months, this year’s harvest was affected by hail during the wet season between June and August.

Guavas from Mexico come in many different sizes, ranging from 3 cm diameter to over 10 cm. Mexican guavas are yellow on the outside, with soft, yellow-green or light-pink flesh. The guavas are harvested when they are green-yellow as they continue to ripen after harvesting. This ensures that they are peak-ripeness by the time they reach the end-consumer, The yellower the outside, the riper and sweeter the flesh. The small sizes are mainly used for juices and candies, whereas the bigger sizes do well in the fresh produce market. The taste is sweet with a slightly sour undertone.

2019 Production and Export

Although the guavas are available throughout the whole year, there are notable differences in supply and price throughout the year. During the rainy months, June through September, the price for guavas in the domestic and international market goes down due to the availability of guavas from the Northern hemisphere. Simultaneously, the costs for farmers go up, as rain encourages the growth of weeds. Farmers need to spend more money on chemicals and labor to ensure that the weeds do not harm the quality of the guavas. This year, hail occurred during the rainy season, which damaged the skin of the guavas. The damaged guavas were unable to be exported and the price for guavas decreased even further during those months. As a result, not many guavas were exported during the rainy season this year.

During November and December, many farmers export the fruit. This is mainly due to increased demand during the holiday season, both domestically (Día de Muertos) and internationally (Christmas). Due to the increased demand, the price almost doubles in the peak campaign season. Many farmers and exporters focus on this period for their guava sales. This actually creates a problem, as there is only a limited supply available during the remaining months, states Cordova & Cordoba, which makes the price of guavas more volatile throughout the year.

Expectations for Export to the US

The main market for Mexican guavas is the United States. Recently, the US has made an agreement with Taiwan, allowing the country to export guavas to the US. Cordova & Cordoba believes that this will not significantly influence Mexican guava exports to the US, as the demand for guavas is high enough for both countries to benefit from the market. Furthermore, Mexican guavas are transported by truck whereas the Taiwanese guavas are airfreighted, giving the Mexican guavas a distinct price advantage. The company also expects that more guava trade will be done directly rather than through intermediaries.