Colombia exported about 18,201 tons of avocados last year, 228% more than in the previous year when the country only exported 5,543 tons.
Colombia has taken advantage of the world's avocado deficit, which is currently being supplied by producers from Chile and Mexico.
Julian Londoño, the director of the research center La Selva Corpoica, highlighted the growth in avocado exports.
"Avocado exports increased by 241 percent, going from 10 million dollars to approximately 35 million dollars (...) Our lands are very suitable for growing the Hass avocado. Our producers have begun to learn how to grow this avocado, so we've been able to increase the cultivated areas and increase exports," Mr. Londoño said.
The main destination for Colombian avocados are the Netherlands, with 41.6%, followed by the UK, Spain, and France.
"Antioquia still has many suitable and available lands for growing avocados, we are trying to encourage the crop in an orderly manner so that the people who grow avocados for export know what standards and quality characteristics they have to comply with," said the director.
In 2016, avocado exports accounted for 0.11% of the country's total exports.
Source: caracol.com.do