Mexico’s Persian Lime Growers and Packers Association (COPELP) issued a public statement reporting extreme heat and drought conditions across all core Persian lime growing regions in the country.

Mexico is experiencing one of the most severe droughts in recent history, particularly affecting main lime-growing regions. Prolonged drought and higher-than-average temperatures have created challenging conditions for securing crop growth and yield, COPELP said.

“We are reaching out to inform you about a significant development concerning the upcoming harvest season for limes in Mexico, which may affect your operations and supply planning,” the release said.

The unfavorable weather is expected to severely impact production, and COPELP is warning of reduced volumes entering the U.S. market this season

Additionally, quality and shelf-life could also be affected, as drought stress results in variations in size and appearance.

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Implications for U.S. partners

COPELP said that, while they are working on minimizing the impact, supply adjustments and price variations are to be expected.

“Due to the reduced yields, the volume available to cover orders may need to be adjusted, with lower availability of 175s and larger, higher availability of 250s, 230s, 200s,” the group said.

Regarding prices, COPELP added, “We aim to minimize these changes and will communicate any necessary adjustments promptly.”