Helios was Able to Identify Pear Disruption in Argentina Early in Season
At a glance: Helios demonstrated its ability to predict supply chain disruptions by flagging a major issue in a key pear-growing region in Argentina at the start of the growing season, allowing stakeholders to take action before prices increased.
What happened?
Argentina pears aren’t grabbing headlines, but they're becoming a staple in grocery stores. That’s why Helios helped an Argentinian pear buyer keep track of one of its key suppliers in the Mendoza Province - and helped them quickly identify that they needed to find alternative and additional suppliers. In March, the media reports confirmed that drought conditions in January and February had severely impacted Argentina's pear-growing regions, reducing supply by 7% and producing smaller, less juicy fruit.
How Helios Helped
Helios flagged the drought in Argentina starting in October 2023, five months before it was reported by the media. As you can see in the precipitation graph below, by March, we expect to receive 8 to 10 inches of rainfall, but only 4 inches fell. By the time the media reported on the drought and heat affecting the crop, Helios had already flagged the region as high risk due to its abnormal weather conditions. By April or May, the historical average indicated 16–20 inches of rainfall, while actual levels reached only 8 inches, signaling a severe water shortage.
By using the Helios platform to identify and track the drought for Pears in Argentina beginning in October, our client was able to find alternative sources and mitigate rising costs before the media caught wind of the issue in March 2024.
