Key Limes

Commodity Overview

Key limes were grown commercially in the Florida Keys (hence their name) until groves were damaged by a hurricane in the 1920s. They're also known as Mexican or West Indian limes, and are more commonly available in the rest of the world than in the U.S.

Key limes, significantly smaller than Persian limes, are slightly yellow and have more seeds than a Persian lime. Their fragrance is more aromatic and their juice has floral notes.

PLUs

4305 key

Characteristics

Commodity: Limes
Category: Citrus
Appearance: Small, yellowish-green with a lightly pebbled skin
Flesh: Yellow-green, with an aromatic scent
Flavor: Slightly less tart than Persian limes, though Mexican varieties can be more bitter
Size: An average Key lime is 1-2 inches in diameter
Color: Yellow-green to green
Shape: Round
Served Raw: Yes
Seed: Small, white, oblong and abundant
Availability: Year-round, with Mexican varieties peaking from late summer to early winter

Retail Price Data is based on USDA Specialty Crops Market News surveys. Data collection ends on the report date and encompasses ad pricing good from the Saturday before the report release date through the following Friday. Weekly data - from over 400 retailers, comprising more than 30,000 individual stores with online weekly advertised features - covers over 250 produce items. Registered (logged-in) users, can access weekly reports and additional market information.

USDA Specialty Crops Market News publishes FOB and Movement data on a daily and weekly basis. Pricing and volume information is aggregated by commodity and published weekly, subject to any source-data adjustments. Commodity data is further processed based on origin (domestic vs imports) and type (regular vs. organic). Registered (logged-in) users, can access weekly reports and additional market information.