Surveys from key growing regions within Mexico indicate that lime production has improved compared to previous estimates. However, as demand for lime continues to increase and purchase prices for fresh fruit remain high, the actual impact of these production improvements on the short-term Lime Oil market remains uncertain.
1/8/23: Mexico recently started its winter lime crop, which is the smaller of the two annual crops for the region. The crop quality of Mexican lime appears to be very high this year. Mexico’s winter crop is typically used to fulfill outstanding orders, rather than produce a bulk of new material. Prices for lime oil remain at historic highs, and the fresh fruit market continues to be extremely strong in Mexico.
8/23/22: Lime oil is entering an all-time high due to greatly increased demand for fresh limes. Limes play a crucial role in the foods of countless cultures, and as such the majority of available material goes towards the fresh market.
4/6/22: Anything to do with the lime market is a hot commodity right now. Availability of lime terpenes, cold-pressed oils, and other derivatives is almost nonexistent. Supply on these materials is expected to remain tight for the foreseeable future.
1/20/22: Fruit processing rates are much lower than normal for this time of year, which has been the case within Mexico for the past 2 months. This trend is not expected to change for at least the next two months, meaning that production and inventory levels will also be very limited until a stronger recovery takes place. Prices of fruit and oil are approaching record highs, not seen since 2014.
9/28/21: The harvest is coming to an end for key lime and Persian lime varietals; this was expected to be the larger of the two annual harvests but due to strong demand for fresh fruit, less material has been allocated for processing. No carryover is available and the next crop is not scheduled to begin until December 2021. We expect demand to continue being very strong.
7/23/21: Demand for lime oil remains firm out of Mexico, as the high season just recently started (after a short delay). Peru oil is sold out until their next crop season in September through October. In both these markets, precedence for fresh fruit is still the main cause for concern.
3/15/20: The next period of availability for Mexican Lime material will be this upcoming May/June. However, not much oil remains available for distillation, and many have already sold out of material due to the high fresh fruit demand, which is applicable to both conventional and organic limes. Buyers can expect this trend to continue, as no carryover material is available from previous harvests.
2/19/20: Fresh fruit remains in high demand from Mexico, which leaves little to processing. Market remains firm and prices continue to steadily increase based on availability as there is no carryover, no future relief till Q2 2021
1/20/20: Prices remain firm as short supply continues.
4/24/19: Harvest is over, not much carryover available which has sustained high price levels. Next crop season is June/July timeframe. Too early to predict crop volume. As a reference Mexico produces 1.5 – 1.8 million tons of fruit, this past crop there was a reduction of 50%
The vast majority of the world’s lime crop is grown throughout the southern Mexican states of Michoacán and Colima. While much of this production goes towards fresh consumption, a significant portion of limes are converted into Lime Oil Mexican C.P. Type A; an oil cold-pressed from the peels of Citrus aurantiifolia fruits. This oil’s aroma is keenly reminiscent of fresh lime, with a sweet, tangy, and aldehydic top note. During the process of extraction, Mexican lime oil is allowed to mingle with the fruit’s juices, providing a much more tangy and juicy odor than other lime varieties. Mexican “Type A” lime oil also has the benefit of being much lighter in color than other cold-pressed lime oils.
