Colombia: 20% increase in total export of Hass avocados in 2018

Bogotá, January 4, 2018. Hass avocados exports to the United States will continue in accordance with regulations and the Work Plan signed between Corpohass, the agricultural and food safety authorities in Colombia and their counterparts in the United States. The ICA (Colombian Agricultural and Livestock Institute) continues the surveillance and eradication program for Hass avocado quarantine pest in 21 municipalities located in 7 departments of the country.

During the month of January, exports shall begin from a farm in the department of Antioquia, which has been approved and continues under surveillance until the end of the harvest as established in the Work Plan signed with the USDA (U.S Department of agriculture).

Currently, ICA is working with 33 Hass avocado production sites including buffer areas, which, after complying with requirements, will be authorized to export to the United States.

According to the Work Plan, both health authorities jointly determine which farms are temporarily not allowed to export as well as when they will be approved, once the pest is eradicated at the production site.

Currently there are several farms or production sites that are already pest-free, according to the official surveillance program carried out by ICA. There is still some work to be done to eradicate the pest in buffer areas, once this is finalized these farms will be approved for exports to the United States.

The future for Colombia´s exports of Hass avocados to the United States is very promising and ICA, as well as other government entities such as the Presidency of Colombia, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ProColombia and PTP are fully committed to this.

According to Luis Humberto Martínez Lacouture (ICA Director), the forecast for 2017 exports to different countries is 26,000 - 27,000 tons, for an estimated value of 50 million dollars. The forecast for 2018 is a 20% increase in the total exports of Hass avocados from Colombia to Europe and North America.

For more information:
Juan Camilo Barrera
Agribusiness Executive Director
PROCOLOMBIA USA
+1 (305) 374 3144 Ext. 66154
Miami, Estados Unidos
www.procolombia.co