Must-do for avocado exporters to Europe

The coming years will be challenging for avocado growers worldwide, depending on consumer behavior, sustainable practices, inflation and weather conditions worldwide.  A scenario of survival of the fittest will determine which players will remain.

 In the findings that were presented as part of the Avocado Congress earlier this year, it shows that avocado consumption definitely still has room to grow. The challenges are projected on the supply side, as a sharp increase in avocado production in new producing countries has generated more competition. The expectation is that there is a risk of oversupply until there is a new balance between consumption and production, and slowdown of new plantations will occur.

Mexico and Peru are the biggest exporters that produce together about 60% of the total global supply, even though quite a few other countries such as Colombia, Kenya and the Mediterrean origins are starting to be more present in the international markets. 

On the demand side, USA and the countries of the EU27+UK purchase 80% of the global production, with USA 50% and EU27+UK 30%, which makes these players the pillars of the world trade.

3 Must-do’s

  1. Fruit quality cannot be underlined enough. Those producers that sell their avocados to any market with consistent good quality fruit, will have access to the best buyers, including are able to enter directly in supermarket programs. These programs have a much more stable price than the spot markets. Good fruit quality always starts in the orchard with excellent soil management and nutrition during the pre-harvest period.

  2. Promotional campaigns that offer special prices, packages, television and social media have shown to be very effective to increase per capita consumption of avocados. 

  3. Technological innovation to better monitor fruit quality in the field and be more efficient in growing methods. There are already plenty of products, equipment and machinery on the market that assist in improving post-harvest and logistics processes that improve shelf life. 

Originally published in Mexico Business News on August 2, 2023
https://mexicobusiness.news/agribusiness/news/green-gold-reality-check-what-shaking-avocado-sector