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o Light drizzle some days this week – 16.6mm (about half an inch) of rainfall
o Air and soil temperatures were reported to be:
o The average minimum temperature reached 23.4° Celsius degrees (74.1°F)
o The average air temperature declined to 27.7°C (81.9°F)
o The soil temperature remained stable reaching 28.3°C (82.9°F)
o Moderate solar radiation.
o High risk of sunburnt and corky fruit.
o The relative humidity increased to 86%.
o Large fruit (4,5 and 6 counts) dropped to 49% and 5 counts declined to 22.2% of our harvest.
o This week the fruit with a harvest age of 21 WAF represented 41.7% of the total and the remaining 58.3% was fruit of 20 WAF.
o Crownless fruit volume decreased to 11.3% of the total packed.
o The sugar content of our fruit remained at a very acceptable level despite younger fruits being harvested. It is very important to mention that the predominance of fruit with a brix between 13.5 and 15.5 reached 85.5% of the sample.
o The volume of fruit with psi less than 2.7 was 14.5 % of the sample, the average firmness improved slightly. The minimum was 2.4 psi; the average reached 3.2 psi and the maximum was 4.1 psi.
o Optimal weather has worked in our favor by allowing the harvesting of slightly younger fruit without detriment to the sweetness. Although the external color of our fruit was found somewhat low, the rest of the fruit quality characteristics were according to our standards.
o At the beginning of week 39, tropical wave #40 will be passing through and its proximity with the Convergence Zone will produce rain in the Caribbean region, Central Valley, and Northern Zone.
o For week 40 a dry pattern is expected in the Caribbean region. Tropical Storm Philippe will head towards the Atlantic Sea with indirect effects on our country.
o No vessel delays this week in all regions. Larger-size fruit volume still limited although yields continue to increase. We expect to be back to normal volumes in the next couple of weeks.