NOAA has confirmed that El Niño conditions have developed in the tropical Pacific and are intensifying, according to Summit Produce's Franco Pruzzo. The advisory marks a shift from forecast to reality, and produce professionals are already thinking through what it means for sourcing from key Southern Hemisphere growing regions.
El Niño typically brings drier-than-normal conditions to parts of South America and wetter conditions to others, with downstream effects on volume and quality for key imports like Chilean grapes, Peruvian blueberries, and asparagus. The concern isn't just one season — El Niño events can drag on for multiple growing cycles.
Buyers planning fall and winter import programs should factor climate risk into their sourcing assumptions. Watch for any early signals from Peru and Chile on how the pattern is affecting developing crops.