Tridge Seasonal Market Report - April 2020

April is the main season for citruses, mangoes and stone fruits, and harvest is undergoing in major nut exporting countries including sesame seeds from India and walnuts from Chile.

Tridge provides up-to-date information on the current harvest season along with 2020 export trends. With this report, we would like to help importers around the world stay tuned with the market dynamics of major producing countries to navigate through purchase options.

Key Highlights In The Market

Citrus

For the 2020 season, US oranges and South African mandarins have seen increases in harvest compared to the previous season of 1% and 8% respectively. Argentinian and Turkish oranges, on the other hand, both saw declines in the harvest of 10%. Demand has been increasing as more customers, especially in Europe and North America, are purchasing products high in Vitamin C. However, due to logistical difficulties, it is currently uncertain whether this will lead to a substantial export increase. Read the full report here. 

Mango

Mango harvest in the Philippines is expected to continue at a high volume and India is also expecting a moderate production while South Africa is seeing production levels which are already 30% lower than last year. Mexico is also expecting a 5% decrease in harvest volume due to the ongoing drought. Import volumes have been increasing in the US, China, and East Asia as more customers consume mangoes, especially those that are organically grown. However, border restrictions are resulting in lower imports of the fruits in the current season. Hence, the prices of mangoes have been fluctuating since mid-to-late March. Read the full report here. 

Kiwifruit

Chilean kiwifruits have seen a decline in production this season at approximately 176K metric tons. Despite a slight decrease in the estimated export volume of 150K metric tons, most of its exporting markets including Latin America, Asia, Europe, and Russia are planning on increasing their imports in 2020. Read the full report here. 

Strawberry

Annual strawberry production volume has continuously increased over the years and the expected production volume in the current season is around 490K metric tons with a modest harvest. However, the exports in the 2020 season continue at a minimal level. Strawberry exports have been extremely limited so far due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Read the full report here.  

Stone Fruit (Cherry / Nectarine)

US cherries are expecting an optimal harvest this season of 450K tons after going through difficult harvests the last couple of years from unfit weather conditions. Exports are expected to increase in 2020 as China has lowered its tariffs on Californian cherries. The Spanish nectarine season is expected to start two weeks earlier in Spain, with a 20% decrease in harvest estimates fueled by labor shortages despite increases in demand for the fruits. Read the full report here. 

Nuts & Seeds & Spices

Demand has been increasing for nuts, seeds, and spices, expanding beyond the Asian and Middle Eastern markets to Europe and the US. Due to the coronavirus outbreak, sesame seeds in India and walnuts in Chile are experiencing difficulty in exports, while South African macadamia nuts will increase its exports as competing countries are short on supplies. There have been no major irregularities caused by the outbreak to Vietnamese cinnamon exports, and prices have significantly increased due to the uptick in demand since last year. Read the full report here.