The Valencian Community's avocado season has entered its decisive stage with the start of the harvest of its main variety, Lamb Hass, which accounts for more than 60% of the autonomous region's production. The Valencian Association of Farmers (AVA-Asaja) and the Association of Avocado Producers (Asoproa) expect the Valencian production to increase by 10% over the previous season, following the upward trend of recent years. Despite some plots suffering production losses, estimates are the region will produce around 23,000 tons of avocado, a volume that accounts for more than 25% of national production, thanks to the entry into production of new plantations, the availability of water in the reservoirs, and the scarce number of pest and disease issues this season.
Valencian farmers are finalizing the harvest of Hass avocados, the most common variety in the rest of Spain and the world. However, due to weather conditions, this year the fruit is ripening earlier and the sector expects to start harvesting and marketing the Lamb Hass variety as early as the beginning of March when they are usually harvested starting mid-March. AVA-Asaja and Asoproa are urging all the agents of the chain to "act with the professionalism, intelligence, and rigor that characterizes the avocado sector and, along these lines, to harvest the fruit when it reaches optimum ripening conditions so that consumers can enjoy the unbeatable quality of our avocado."
For the moment, prices at source are stable due to the growing consumption of avocados. According to the latest studies, avocado consumption has increased by 13% in the last year. 80% of Spanish households have bought avocado in these twelve months. Per capita consumption in France, for example, already stands at 2.3 kilos per year, although it still has a significant margin of improvement compared to the 4 kilos consumed in the United States.
For this reason, AVA-Asaja and Asoproa insist on the need for the sector to differentiate its production by "guaranteeing maximum sustainability and promotion in the most demanding markets, promoting brands of origin and campaigns aimed at consumers." Starting this season, the new "Avocados Comunidad Valenciana CV" seal can be found in Masymas Supermarkets, marketed by the AlcoaxarquÃa and Anecoop operators.
AVA-Asaja and Asoproa also demand increasing surveillance to curb the scourge of theft (as the high fruit prices attract thieves) and researching patterns, varieties, and cultivation techniques to improve productivity while optimizing the use of irrigation water, fertilizers, and other inputs to mitigate drought and climate change.
For more information:
AVA-ASAJA
Email: [email protected]
www.avaasaja.org
