In the Moro district of the Ancash region in Peru, the 2024 Kent mango harvest has been significantly affected by adverse weather conditions, leading to an early harvest. The unusually high temperatures have resulted in a 75% reduction in mango production, primarily due to a failure in the flowering process. Despite the reduced yield, the price for mangoes on the farm has seen a considerable increase, with rates reaching between S/9 and S/10 per kilo for exports by air, a stark contrast to the previous year's prices, which in some instances were as low as S/2.5 per kilo. The mango campaign is anticipated to continue until March, albeit with constrained production volumes due to the prevailing weather conditions.
The Nepeña Valley, which spans 1,200 hectares of mango cultivation, has been particularly hit hard, with an average annual investment of S/10,000 per hectare resulting in drastically reduced outputs compared to the normal production of 15,000 tons per hectare. The harvesting process involves meticulous selection based on specific criteria such as weight, size, and color to meet export standards for markets in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Workers, including entire families who migrate seasonally across major mango producing regions, engage in the harvest, with men earning S/5 for every 20-kilo jar harvested and women receiving a daily wage of S/80 for their delicate work in stem cutting and fruit preparation for export.