Mango growers in Santiago, a farming community in the Los Cabos municipality, lost roughly 70% of their expected harvest this season after abnormally high temperatures and insufficient cold hours prevented trees from flowering and fruiting properly. Yields fell from an average of 10 tons per hectare to about three, prompting Baja California Sur’s agriculture secretary, SEPADA, to meet directly with affected producers.
Mango trees require a period of cooler overnight temperatures to trigger flowering. Without enough of these “cold hours,” fruit production drops sharply. Officials confirmed that this season’s climate conditions in the Cape Region failed to deliver the chill periods orchards need.
State and Federal Aid for Affected Growers
At the meeting in Santiago, SEPADA officials outlined several relief measures. The state will install a digital weather station in the area to give growers real-time climate data for future planning. Technical support teams will also visit orchards to assess damage and advise on recovery strategies.
On the financial side, farmers may qualify for up to 10,000 pesos (about $500 USD) per hectare through the federal Climate and Sanitary Contingency Program. Fertilizer subsidies are also on the table, along with temporary employment programs to fund orchard cleanup work in the affected zone.
State officials said they would explore longer-term infrastructure upgrades to help producers adapt to shifting weather patterns. Specific projects were not named, but the commitment came as part of a broader push to stabilize agricultural output in the southern cape.
Wider Impact on Mango Supply
The losses come at a difficult time for Mexico’s mango sector. Nationally, climate disruptions have cut into production in other major growing states like Chiapas, where heavy rainfall has delayed flowering cycles. Mexico exported roughly $660 million worth of mangoes in 2024, and producers across the country are grappling with volatile weather.
BCS mangoes, grown primarily in the Santiago and Sierra de la Laguna foothills area, are exported internationally. A harvest this poor could affect local availability and prices at markets and restaurants across Los Cabos during the summer months.
One bright spot: officials noted that Baja California Sur has remained free of fruit fly infestation for nearly five years, a key phytosanitary credential that protects the state’s ability to export fresh produce.
The BCS state government published details of the SEPADA meeting on its official website, bcs.gob.mx.