The Moroccan avocado season has begun with modest harvests and a wait-and-see attitude on the part of growers, who are disappointed by below-expectation prices given the losses suffered last summer. This is according to Youssef El Khlifi from Avonature.
The exporter says, "The season in Morocco is off to a complicated start. Growers and exporters are unable to agree on prices. On the one hand, growers have suffered significant volume losses due to the summer heat waves and are expecting high prices or prices similar to those at the start of last season. On the other hand, exporters cannot afford to meet these prices due to a very saturated market, while avocado prices on the European market have fallen compared to last year. The current situation is therefore one of very low harvest and export volumes."
© Avonature
According to El Khlifi, the low volumes of Moroccan exports since the start of the Hass season four weeks ago come mainly from exporters who have their own production, while other growers "are still refusing to harvest."
The exporter adds that growers' pursuit of high prices is also justified by the greater presence of large-sized avocados this season, which sell at higher prices. He explains, "We are seeing a significant supply of larger fruit, which is directly linked to the loss of volume and therefore the lower density of fruit on the trees. However, the saturated market pushes prices downward."
"The European market is currently saturated with large volumes of avocados from Peru, Chile, and Colombia, making Moroccan growers' high price forecasts completely unrealistic," El Khlifi continues.
Moroccan avocado exports usually enter a period of standstill in December, as the fruit becomes a secondary choice for consumers. Growers are waiting for an eventual price increase in January before deciding to harvest their fruit. "However, it is difficult to know how prices will evolve after the resumption in January. Everything will depend on the international supply, which is making competition very fierce this season," El Khlifi concludes.
For more information:
Youssef Elkhlifi
Avonature
Tel: +212625690408
Email: [email protected]
