The demand for avocados is high in a market with lower volumes available compared to last season at this time, which is translating into higher prices.
In addition to the lower available volumes from Chile and Israel, the Hass avocado production in Spain is also about 20% lower than last year due to heat waves during the flowering and fruit setting.
At the moment, Spain is harvesting and selling Hass avocados. The average price paid at origin stands at around 2.40 Euro per kilo, which is "a very good price for the grower," according to the president of the Spanish Association of Tropical Fruit Producers, Miguel Gutiérrez.
Regarding the acreage planted with avocados, Gutiérrez explains that "there is a positive growing trend in Spain and demand from growers is so high that there is a two year waiting list to be able to purchase avocado seedlings." However, he also stresses that "the sector is undergoing renovation, either through the planting of younger trees or with new plant material with more intensive frames and better standards in general; therefore, the net growth is perhaps not as pronounced."