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Piracicaba, 04 – Low supply may keep tahiti lime quotes at good levels in October. In the off-season period, most fruits on trees have not yet reached the ideal size and color for harvesting. Thus, Cepea collaborators forecast that the tahiti lime volume will increase only in November (if it rains enough in October to favor fruit development).
So far, irrigated groves are developing well. However, the dry and hot weather in São Paulo has affected fruit quality and non-irrigated plants, where moisture is crucial for growth and vigor of plants. Therefore, the weather in October will be the crucial for a good harvesting in November.
Weather condition pushed up tahiti lime quotes significantly in September, mainly in the second fortnight. High temperatures delayed fruit development, reducing supply to the in natura market and favoring domestic demand.
In this scenario, tahiti lime quotes averaged 62.92 BRL per 27-kilo box, on tree, in September, the highest in 2017 and 6.3% above that in the same period of 2016, in nominal terms. Last year, however, firm demand from Brazilian processors and the international market, along with lower supply, underpinned quotes at good levels for a longer period. In 2017, however, prices are increasing gradually only in the second semester, as usual.
Besides, the pace of tahiti lime exportations has been slower since August/17. According to Cepea collaborators, that is linked to the large volumes shipped in the first semester (mainly between March and April), competition with the Mexican crop, lower quality of Brazilian fruits and lower supply in the period, which pushed up quotes.
In August, lemon and lime exportations totaled 5.51 thousand tons, 41% down compared to the previous month and the smallest volume in 2017, reflecting low supply in the period (Secex data). However, this year (from January to August), shipments have been at record levels, totaling 76.3 thousand tons of the fruit, according to Secex.
ORANGE – The dry and hot weather in September favored the in natura market in São Paulo. With higher domestic demand and lower supply of oranges with quality within the standards demanded by the in natura market, prices increased. In September, pear orange quotes averaged 17.34 BRL per 40.8-kilo box, on tree, 5.3% up against that in August.
Source: hfbrasil.org.br
