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Publication #FE382

Market Development Strategies for the Florida Tropical Fruit Industry, 19971

Robert L. Degner, Susan D. Moss, and Jonathan H. Crane2

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Abstract

Telephone surveys of tropical fruit growers and shippers in south Florida and major food retailers and specialty produce wholesalers nationwide were conducted to determine the availability, sales trends, and market development strategies for 11 tropical fruits selected by Tropical Fruit Growers of South Florida, Inc. on the basis of their commercial potential. The fruits targeted were mangos, carambola, lychee, papaya, mamey sapote, specialty bananas, longan, guava, passion fruit, atemoya, and sugar apples. The grower-shipper survey revealed no major changes in the production of most fruits in the wake of Hurricane Andrew although modest increases were anticipated for lychees, longans, and papayas. Mangos, papayas, and carambolas were found to be widely available at wholesale and retail levels, and sales trends were generally positive. However, the remaining fruits had varying degrees of availability at wholesale and retail levels. Some fruits, such as mamey sapote, atemoya, and sugar apples, had very limited distribution, particularly west of the Mississippi River because of phytosanitary restrictions. Retail and wholesale produce buyers generally agreed that the greatest impediments to increased sales of tropical fruit from Florida were (1) lack of consumer familiarity and awareness, (2) high prices relative to other types of fruit, and (3) supply problems such as limited or inconsistent supplies and short production seasons. This paper analyzes marketing suggestions made by the trade and makes specific recommendations for improved marketing programs for south Florida's tropical fruit growers and shippers.

The complete document also can be accessed at http://www.agmarketing.ifas.ufl.edu/pubs/1990s/Tropical_fruits.pdf.

Footnotes

1.

This is EDIS document FE382, a publication of the Department of Food and Resource Economics, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Published December 1997, and revised May 2003 and July 2009. Please visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2.

Robert L. Degner, Professor, and Susan D. Moss, former Coordinator of Economic Analysis, Department of Food and Resource Economics, University of Florida, Gainesville, and Jonathan H. Crane, Associate Professor, Tropical Research and Education Center (TREC), Homestead, FL, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Millie Ferrer-Chancy, Interim Dean.