The Deputy Minister of Agricultural Affairs, Juan Pablo Pineda, said that, thanks to the joint work between the Government and the avocado industry, the country would meet the phytosanitary requirements for the admission of of Hass avocados into the United States by the end of the year, and would begin exports to that market in the first half of 2017.
He stressed the advantages of the US market, which represents 50% of all the avocado exported worldwide and has a 16% consumption growth rate.
"The avocado's natural destination should be the United States because of cost advantages and efficiency," Pineda said.
He also stated that the fruit had great potential in international markets, where consumers have a preference for Hass avocado because of its benefits, taste, and oil content - 27 % compared to 10% or 12% oil content for other varieties.
Opening of markets
The deputy minister highlighted the exports made to Europe and said that the Minister of Agriculture, Aurelio Iragorri Valencia, had started the process to open up the Chinese market, which has more than 1.2 billion inhabitants, to Colombian exports of Hass avocado in his recent trip to China.
The official stated that another important market they had managed to gain access to was the Peruvian market, as they had finalized the requirements to export avocados to that nation a few days ago.
Pineda said that, between 2010 to date, the current government had invested 550,865 million pesos in the sector to enhance the export potential of Colombian agriculture with very positive results .
It is estimated that 86% of the total planted area of the country is located in the departments of Tolima, Antioquia, Caldas, Santander, Bolivar, Cesar, Valle del Cauca, Risaralda, and Quindio.
The areas planted with Creole avocados have increased by nearly 38% in the last 5 years, while the area planted with Hass avocado has increased by 126% in the same period of time.
Source: Ministry of Agriculture