W20: Avocado Update

In W20 in the avocado landscape, it was reported that severe rainfall, accompanied by hail and strong winds, occurred in Puebla, Mexico, damaging 320 hectares dedicated to avocado and vegetable production. The municipality of Quimixtlán was particularly affected, with 120 hectares lost due to an unusual hailstorm. The Colombian Avocado Board (CAB) reported a significant increase in avocado shipments to the United States during the 2022/23 season, an increase of 104% in the total volume exported. Orchards were increased from 150 in 2021 to 488 in eight states in 2023, and avocado production has surged to nearly 25M pounds, an increase of 325% from 2021. The managing director of CAB expressed anticipation of further progress in the coming years. Direct access to the United States market has enhanced the avocado infrastructure of Colombia, enabling the country to meet the increasing demand. CAB received USDA certification on January 7, 2020, authorized by the Hass Avocado Information, Research, and Promotion Act of 2000 (7 USC 7801-7813). The National Commission for Development and Life without Drugs of Peru transferred USD 242.80K (PEN 898.97K) to the District of Quiaca for the project to improve technology transfer services for added-value products and the commercialization of crops such as avocados. In 2023, Peru plans to expand 60 new hectares of alternative crops in ten sectors of Quiaca, with a total of 32,470 produced seedlings, of which 6,250 are avocado seedlings.

Asociafruit, the association of fruit and citrus producers of Spain, has formally requested the Ministry of Agriculture to permit survival irrigation in basins managed by the Board. These basins are located in areas with stringent water restrictions, leading to the drying out of avocado trees due to water scarcity. The proposed survival irrigation would involve providing a water supply during the four summer months to preserve the orchards. On the other hand, researchers from the American Chemical Society of the United States (ACS) discovered a chitosan-based coating that effectively extends the shelf life of avocados. Lastly, in New Zealand, avocado growers faced a shortage of avocados due to adverse weather conditions, including high winds and cold snaps. The cold weather in October resulted in fewer avocados, and cold conditions caused quality issues (ridging), affecting the skin of avocados.