The New Mexico Chile Association says current industry estimates point to supply shortfalls ranging from approximately 20% to 50%, depending on the product, supplier and final customer requirements.
Source: New Mexico Chile Association (via Facebook)
Photos: Courtesy
New Mexico’s chile industry is warning processors, suppliers and other customers to prepare for significantly reduced supplies following a difficult 2026 growing season.
The New Mexico Chile Association says current industry estimates point to supply shortfalls ranging from approximately 20% to 50%, depending on the product, supplier and final customer requirements.
The association attributed the reduced harvest to prolonged adverse growing conditions, including unusually warm nighttime temperatures during the summer.
Many fields produced an initial harvest, according to the association, but plants entered that first picking already under stress. In many cases, the plants did not recover sufficiently to produce the anticipated second harvest.
The result is reduced availability across chile products, with suppliers now evaluating crops and remaining inventory to determine how much product will be available through the remainder of the season.
The Chile Association is asking processors and other customers to contact suppliers and confirm both immediate needs and future forecasts. More accurate estimates, the association said, will allow suppliers to identify shortages earlier and determine whether customers may eventually need to be prioritized or supplies formally allocated.
The association did not provide an estimate of the total volume of chile expected to be harvested this year or indicate which individual products are experiencing the largest shortages.
The New Mexico Chile Association said it will continue monitoring supplies and provide additional information as the remainder of the harvest season develops.
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