W38: Avocado Update
In W38 in the avocado landscape, the Mexican Association of Avocado Growers and Exporters (Apeam) anticipates record avocado exports to the United States (US) in 2023 due to increased international demand compared to the previous year. Apeam, which collaborates with the United States Animal and Plant Health Service (USDA-APHIS) for avocado exports to the US, is committed to promoting sustainability in avocado cultivation. They have initiated forest protection programs and planted over 3.4 million trees to mitigate the environmental impact of cultivation. Additionally, Apeam has joined the Mexican Network of the United Nations Global Compact to support the implementation of UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
During W38, a cybernetic crisis at the Colombian Phytosanitary Administration disrupted the operations of both avocado exporters and importers, leading to significant delays and challenges at ports and packhouses. With the system offline, Colombian companies are forced to handle tasks manually, resulting in demurrages and extended waiting times for phytosanitary process approvals.
Peruvian agro exports, including both traditional and non-traditional products, reached over USD 4,617 million between January and July in 2023, marking a decrease of 2.9% compared to the same period in 2022. Concerns have risen in the Peruvian business community due to the effects of El Niño, which have led to delays in crop flowering and the appearance of damaging organisms. Additionally, congestion in the Panama Canal has raised transportation costs, affecting the competitiveness of Peruvian exports. Primary agricultural exports decreased by 50.7%, with coffee as the leading product. Non-traditional agro exports increased by 3.5%, led by fresh avocados with a 20.5% growth rate.
Furthermore, Peruvian avocado exports for the 2022/23 season show signs of an earlier end, with weekly shipments falling below 10 thousand tons. In W37 of the campaign, Peru exported 3.86 thousand tons of avocados, a 42% decrease from W36 and a 63% decrease compared to the same period in 2022. Despite this, the season has seen a total export of 693.65 thousand tons, marking a 14% increase over the previous season. The Netherlands remained the top destination, followed by Spain and the United Kingdom (UK), but all showed significant decreases in avocado imports. In W38, 24 Peruvian exporters experienced a drop in exports from the previous week and the same week in 2022.
Kenya has initiated avocado exports to India, marking a significant milestone in the country's agricultural growth and international partnerships. Kenya, Africa's leading avocado exporter and the sixth-largest globally, aims to expand its avocado market reach. The majority of Kenya's avocado revenue comes from exports to EU countries, with significant portions going to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.
Lastly, the Israeli avocado sector has begun its 2023/24 harvest season with early strong demand from the European market, especially for the Greenskin variety. While EU demand is robust, the Israeli avocado industry is wary of challenges posed by ongoing instability in Russia, a key market for Greenskin avocados. Despite these challenges, Israeli avocado exports are forecasted to reach a volume similar to that of the 2021/22 season, with an estimated total of 125 thousand metric tons (mt), consisting of 75 thousand mt of Hass avocados and 50 thousand mt of Greenskin avocados. The Hass avocado season is set to start in mid-October, and favorable exchange rates are helping increase export revenues for Israeli growers.