Sendings of Mexico-grown Persian limes rose by 52.5 per cent in value terms during the first four months of 2011, according to figures from Mexico’s Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food (Sagarpa) and reported by El Universo.
Total sales during the four-month period increased to just under US$98m, up from US$64.2m in the same period of 2010.
Volume-wise, sendings reached 84,825 tonnes between January and April 2011, Sagarpa said.
In 2009/10, total Persian lime exports rose by 18.5 per cent in value terms from US$161.4m to US$191.3m.
Sendings of Mexico’s native lime variety also rose by 66.3 per cent in value terms in 2009/10 to US$32.1m, according to Sagarpa figures.
Mexico is one of the world’s leading lime exporters, with supply programmes in 21 countries and sales worth some US$223m.
The leading destinations for the fruit are the US, Spain, Argentina and Turkey, the report said.
Mexico’s lime exports are a major product in Mexico’s fruit export portfolio, contributing to the 19.8 per cent growth in total exports between January and May this year.
Opportunities also remain to boost citrus consumption in European nations including Ireland, Sweden, Italy, Germany and (to a lesser degree) Spain.
According to statistics from the Agricultural and Fisheriers Information Service (SIAP), Mexico produced 1.86m tonnes of limes, mainly in the states of Michoacán, Veracruz and Colima.
Mexico produces limes on a year-round basis, but the peak of harvesting (or 70 per cent of the crop) takes place between May and October.?
