Augusto Cilloniz Benavidz, project manager of Intipukio, stated that consumption of avocado in Peru amounts to 5 kilos per capita, double that of what is consumed in the US. A person in Mexico, which is the worlds biggest consumer of avocado, consumes an average of 8 kilos per year.
He also said that the people in Peru were consuming a lot of avocados despite their economic problems and that there still was significant growth potential.
"It is difficult to determine how much the per capita consumption of this fruit could increase, but as the Peruvian economy improves, which is happening, there will be a natural growth in consumption, not only with avocado but also with other horticultural products that are as nutritious as the avocado," he said.
The production and export of avocado is rapidly growing
Cilloniz also said the Peruvian production and export of avocado was rapidly growing and that they had to be careful not to saturate the market.
"Avocado exports have gone from 50,000 tons in 2011 to 180,000 tons in 2014, growth is tremendous and we’ll keep that pace two or three years if plantations do not stop," he said.
In this regard, he said, we’ll be able to continue growing if we are rigorous with our shipments. "There is still potential for the growth of Peruvian avocado exports in its traditional markets, i.e. Europe and America, but we must also look at China; Chile has already opened this market, which is an important step in our aspirations, as it can become a destination with great demand."
Source: Agraria.pe