Strong rains and extreme temperatures in the Mexican state of Chiapas have led to smaller mango sizes, pushing many farmers to shift crops to sugarcane and palm plantations, website Lainformacion.com reported.

The story reported weather conditions meant many mango plants were flowering early, producing smaller fruit without pips.

Farmer Roberto Fourzali Moisés told the website half of his Ataulfo mango crop suffered malformations this year and were not able to be sold.

"We are suffering from the damage caused by heat and rain. We are in a very strange year," Fourzali Moisés was quoted as saying.

Chiapas produces more Ataulfo mangoes, known as the 'Champagne' variety in the U.S., than any other Mexican state but harvests have fallen 60% in the last two years, the story reported.

The story reported around 60% of U.S. mango imports come from Mexico.

"Generally we get 150 pesos (US$12.9) per carton - today we get 30 (US$2.59) or 40 pesos (US$3.45) because they're all small. It's a real disaster," local mango union president Eusebio Carlos Ortega told the website.

Chiapas' 6000 mango farmers export around 200,000 metric tons (MT) of mangoes to the U.S. and Canada each year, the story reported.

Photo: Castanet

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