The short-term supply of papaya from Brazil will be low until August. “This is largely due to the typical winter weather conditions in Brazil which naturally limit fruit production and availability,” says Fred Tavares with UGBP USA/Crown Global.

That low supply in the first half of the year has contributed to higher pricing on the fruit. “However, the market outlook is expected to improve from the second week of August through the end of the year, with a gradual recovery in supply and better production conditions,” says Tavares. “From mid-August onwards, larger volumes and better-quality fruit are expected, especially in regions with more stable weather. The biggest challenge for the papaya market is the unstable and unfavorable weather, which has directly impacted production volume and fruit quality.”

Fourth quarter production
After all, in the northeast region of Brazil, production volumes are expected to increase starting in November and December and excellent fruit quality is anticipated.

“In contrast, the southeast region has faced issues with fruit quality due to excessive rainfall in recent months. This has affected fruit development and post-harvest conditions, especially in key producing areas such as Espírito Santo and southern Bahia,” says Tavares, adding that in the southern Bahia and northern Espírito Santo regions, papaya production on the Golden/Aliança variety and Papaya Formosa have been severely impacted by fungal diseases and other phytosanitary challenges. (Formosa is also grown in the Baraúnas region.) “These problems are mainly caused by much higher-than-average rainfall for this time of year, which is usually part of the dry season.”

For more information:
Fred Tavares
UGBP
Tel: +1 305 365 7811
[email protected]
www.ugbp.com