Organic Ataulfos Prepare for Picking!

2018 Promises To Be a Sweet & Fruitful Season

Our last winter crop update, published mid-November, gave us an overall positive outlook on the upcoming Mexican mango season. Ample rains had arrived in perfectly timed step and quantity, and the various stages of production from our southern regions of Oaxaca and Chiapas had progressed nicely. Good pollination and decent flowering occurred, flower drop was normal, and the fruit was transitioning desirably into the fruit set and elongation phases.

Today, we can report even better news. Not only will the crop start a week or two early, but fruit volumes, sizing, and overall quality throughout the orchards, leads us to believe that we have quite a favorable season ahead. Our originally predicted start date of February 1^st for Crespo Organic Ataulfos has bumped up to January 20^th through the 25^th, depending on the fruit’s final maturity and brix levels. Our organic Tommy Atkins crop is set to follow in the second or third week of February. Ample fruit volumes are expected on both varietals by March 1^st. Promotional quantities look to be in good supply, provided current weather patterns continue, as of mid-March to April 1^st!

The key factor—weather—must remain closely monitored for consistent volumes to occur and sustain through the region’s season. Heavy rains or wind during the flowering stage, heavy wind and rains during the fruit set or maturing stage that can literally knock fruit of the trees (as we saw last year on January 12th), and severe cold weather can all cause the fruit to mature slowly and sporadically.

Our packhouse in Oaxaca are set to open between January 20^th and the 25^th and in Chiapas by February 10^th. Packhouse openings correspond with when the fruit will be ready for picking and then packing, based on crop maturity and brix. There is the potential for others to hastily pick and pack immature fruit at this time of year—too antsy to wait for full brix—but we encourage patience for the Ataulfo’s onset. Immature fruit can deter the consumer away from crop early on, hurting long-term sales. We expect another long, voluminous season of Ataulfos through August, so it’s well worth waiting for full maturity and brix. This is especially true considering we have seen significant growth in this varietal over the past five years.

If all continues as it has, we expect a very fruitful season.

Ask your sales agent for more information on promotional materials for Crespo Organic Ataulfos (#DontCallMeHoney). We will continue to promote this Mexican cultivar heavily throughout the season.

Our team recently toured the orchards in Chiapas, here’s what they saw.