Produce importers struggle to forecast inventory when domestic supply seasons unexpectedly extend

Fruit importers face margin compression and inventory management chaos when domestic growing seasons last longer than historical patterns, flooding the market with cheaper local alternatives just as they've committed to importing foreign stock. Wholesalers can't accurately predict when to pivot from imports to domestic sourcing, leading to oversupply, price collapse, and stranded inventory. Current forecasting relies on outdated seasonal data that no longer accounts for climate variability and shifting agricultural patterns.