In May, the price paid to producers of Mexican lime at origin in the producing areas of Colima, Guerrero, Michoacan and Oaxaca; the wholesale and consumer prices of citrus in select cities in Mexico, and the trading margins of the fruit of Colima origin in selected cities were as follows:
Prices paid to producers ($/ kg)
During May 2017, the highest average price paid to Mexican lime producers in the field, collection centers, and packing houses of the biggest producing entities of Citrus Aurantifolia Swingle was $5.87/kg in the state of Guerrero, followed by $4.56/ kg in Colima, $4.11/kg in Michoacan, and the lowest price, $4.06/kg in the state of Oaxaca.
The highest price paid to producers in the two most important citrus producing entities in the country (Colima and Michoacán) between January and May 2017 was recorded in March. In Apatzingan, Michocan, the price stood at 17.69 $ / kg, while in Tecoman, Colima, the highest price reached stood at 17.48 $ / kg.
According to data from SIPROLIMEX-Colima, between May 2016 and May 2017, the following quotations were recorded in the citrus region of Colima: The lowest price was observed in July 2016, when the fruit reached $2.82/kg, and the highest price was $17.47/kg in March 2017, from there the price collapsed and registered its second consecutive low, $4.56/kg, during the month of May.
Wholesale prices ($/kg)
According to official data from the SNIIM Market Information and Integration System, the Union of Merchants of La Paz, Baja California South, recorded the highest price for Mexican lime No. 5 from Colima during the month of May when it was sold between $25.90 and $32.28/kg, (SNIIM), followed by the Felipe Angeles Market in Guadalajara, Jalisco, with $17.24/kg. The third position was occupied by the Distribution Centers of the City of Colima, with a price of $16.70/kg, which is inexplicably higher than the prices identified in the selected wholesale centers operating in the interior of the country, such as: Distribution Centers and Supply Center of Gomez Palacio Durango, Durango., $16.64/kg, Central Supply of La Laguna de Torreon, Coahuila, $16.07/kg, Supply Market of San Nicolas de los Garza, Nuevo Leon, $15.79/kg, Guadalajara's Central Market, Jalisco, $12.67/ kg, and Aguascalientes Agricultural Center, Aguascalientes $7.19/kg.
Retail prices for consumers ($/kg)
Within the selected cities, the highest average monthly consumer price was $27.28/ kg, which was recorded in the supermarkets and traditional stores in La Paz, Baja California South, while the lowest price, $20.60/kg, was recorded in the city of Guadalajara, Jalisco. (INEGI)
There is no reason why final consumers are being charged such high prices for limes, especially when the producing states, Michoacan, Colima, Guerrero and Oaxaca harvest between 1,500 tons and 2,800 tons per day and have the potential to increase their volume; as they can even sell an additional thousand tons.
Trading margins (%)
The highest trading margin in May was recorded in the city of La Paz, Baja California South: (498%), and the lowest one in the city of Guadalajara, Jalisco: (352%).
The difference between the average monthly retail price at supermarkets, supermarkets and traditional stores located in the city of La Paz, Baja California South (INEGI) (27.28 $/kg) and the average monthly price paid to the Mexican lime producers in Tecoman, Colima (4.56 $ / Kg) was $ 22.72 pesos/ Kg.
The lowest margin difference recorded was 16.04 $/kg, which is the difference between the average monthly retail price at retail chains, supermarkets and traditional stores in the city of Guadalajara, Jalisco (20.60 $/kg) (INEGI) and the average monthly price paid to the Mexican lemon producer in the citrus region of Tecoman, Colima.
Production volumes (t)
According to data from the Mexican Lime Product System (SIPROLIMEX-COLIMA), the country harvested about 26,850 tons of Mexican limes in May. The state of Michoacan contributed 12,888 tons (48%); Colima, 6,444 tons (24%); Oaxaca, 5,370 tons (20%); and Guerrero 537 tons (8%). Together this entities produced 26,850 tons, i.e. 24.6% more than the 21,550 tons produced in April.
