According to the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (Indec), in 2015, Argentina exported 84.2 tons of avocado to its three main destinations: the United Kingdom, France, and Uruguay. A year later, the country exported 130 tons of avocado.
In 2015 avocado exports amounted to 216,946 dollars. Meanwhile, despite having achieved a higher export volume, in 2016 avocado revenues were lower and only amounted to 206,253 dollars.
This was due to the annual average price of the product ton, which in 2015 was 2,577 dollars, but collapsed to 1,669 dollars in 2016.
The fruit exported to the United Kingdom, France, and Uruguay is produced in Tucuman, Jujuy, and Misiones, as these Argentine provinces are located in the North of the country where the climate is favorable for this product.
Tucuman leads exports, as it accounts for 91 percent of the exports, and even has an Association of avocado producers.
Despite the incipient growth of local production, Argentina imported 10 thousand tons of Chilean avocado per year in 2015 and 2016. Thanks to the decrease in international prices, these purchases went from 23 million to 10 million dollars.
Buenos Aires' Central Market is a gauge for Argentina's production and consumption of food; in 2015 and in 2016 the average annual income of five tons of avocado was maintained.
This destination received 3,783 tons of Chilean avocados, and only 911 tons of avocados from Tucuman, and 174 tons from Jujuy.
Given the growing demand for this fruit, and in an effort to open the competition, last year Argentina authorized imports from Peru, the first country that will compete against Chile, which up to now was the only country allowed to enter this product to the country.
Source: Notimex