Understanding the behavior and avocado seasonality of producers are necessary to identify the opportunities that exist in the US market. By being aware of the fluctuations in availability and pricing during different periods of the year, producers can maximize their profits while buyers can adjust their purchasing strategies accordingly.
Currently, US avocado imports considerably exceed domestic production, given that in 2022 these were 2.5 billion and 7.9 million pounds, respectively. Additionally, domestic production occurs mostly in California and with smaller contributions from Florida and Hawaii. In terms of avocado seasonality, volumes in these regions are produced between April and September, with the highest flow in the months of May, June, and July. This means that from October to March, there is little or no volume, requiring imports to meet the demand throughout the year.
However, something that stands out is that when domestic production is available, imports do not decrease, which indicates that there is room in the market for both activities, and there is even some talk about US consumers being able to absorb higher avocado volumes, at least until 2030, considering the growth trend of recent years.
Avocado seasonality of the main exporting countries
Mexico has the enormous advantage of its geographical location, which has allowed it to consolidate as the main avocado supplier for the US market. However, what triggered its consolidation was the gradual permission to export granted in 1997, after 83 years of a ban that aimed to protect local production. Nevertheless, as this is focused on summer, and given that consumption began to increase significantly, imports became more and more necessary.
Source: producepay.com