Global: Strong lime prices expected until spring

The supply of Mexican limes in the US remains inconsistent. "That is due to the weather, but there are also other factors at play in Mexico," says Alex Teague of the American World Groves. These factors include aging trees, pest problems and drought. "Flowering and related sizing remain a problem and there are a number of properties of the trees that underlie the erratic supply in recent years." Some major retailers are already sourcing product from other regions or diversifying. Teague notes that at least one prominent retailer now sources more than 50% of its limes from Colombia. Colombia does indeed offer a consistent lime supply, although the domestic markets in both Colombia and Peru are very good. "That doesn't provide much incentive to export limes at the moment," he adds. Supply will soon come from the south of Colombia, rather than the north, and since the country changes regions every 100 to 160 days, the sizing and quality are good. Update PeruIn Peru it is a little ...