From this week onwards, Peruvian avocado volumes are expected to steadily increase."Peru has recovered from the meteorological problems that caused the production to drop last year, and this season the volume is expected to increase by 35-40%," says Iván Brefa, from Xarki.
"Following the supply of the first batches from the Peruvian Sierra, which bridge the gap with the end of the Mediterranean seasons, exports from the coastal area are now beginning, and a lot of fruit will come from there. In fact, we are already starting to notice this greater volume," he says.
"Last week, we were in the MIN in Rungis and we saw that there was a very large supply there. In fact, for certain sizes, mainly for those between 22 and 32, there is already more supply than demand. At the moment, the supply of the larger sizes, from 12 to 16, is somewhat lower, but this will radically change when the fruit from the coast, which is generally heavier, starts to come in. I expect homogeneity in fruit sizes by the end of the month, and the market could thus become saturated from week 22 onwards. The next few weeks are going to be crucial for the rest of the season, and all links in the chain will have to work responsibly to prevent prices from irreversibly falling," says Iván.
"Furthermore, if we want stable avocado consumption, we have to offer price stability, because other fruits on the market could have more attractive prices and push consumers away if we don't manage to make avocado a regular product in the population's diet," he says. "As far as consumption is concerned, we hope that with the increase in tourism these days, demand will increase, and this drop in prices will help boost avocado sales. Furthermore, May and June will be perfect months for promotions."
"We are concerned about the cadmium alerts in Peruvian avocados, although exhaustive controls are carried out on arrival"
According to Iván, Peru currently accounts for around 80% of imported fruit, while the other 20% corresponds to fruit from origins such as South Africa, Colombia, Brazil, or Kenya.
"Regarding the issue of the tariffs on exports to the United States, which we've been keeping a close eye on, I don't think it's going to have an impact on the market, because consumption in Europe is what it is, and Peruvians know that bringing more fruit to the market is not bound to have a positive effect. However, we do see some concern about the cadmium alerts in Peruvian avocados, especially from France," he says.
"Some clients have their doubts about the product and are asking for analyses. Fortunately, all the analyses carried out on our imports, whether internal or external, on arrival or departure, are exhaustive, and they are providing great peace of mind to buyers," says Iván.
"As far as the internal quality of the fruit is concerned, we know that certain suppliers have been picking their fruit too early, afraid of looming oversupply this season. The quality of 80-90% of the fruit is really good, but there have been issues with another part, and this is taking a toll on sales and, worse still, causing prices to fall even further," he says. "It's important to insist on the fact that we should sell when the fruit's physiological and organoleptic conditions are good. If we want consumption all year round, we must also do a good job in meeting consumer demands all year round."
Kenya: "Logistical constraints should not stigmatize a product's reputation"
Although prices could be affected in the coming weeks by the increase in Peruvian supply, at the moment, lower-priced avocados of Kenyan origin have already put some extra pressure.
"However, I'd like to highlight one thing about Kenyan avocados. They are not bad, in my experience. They suffer certain problems, possibly because they undergo fewer treatments, although this has a positive side: the fruit is 100% natural," says Iván. "The logistical problems it faces, especially the robberies and kidnappings we've seen in the Suez Canal in recent years, which have caused many shipping companies to decide to go around Africa via the Atlantic, have had a considerable negative effect on it. But we must not forget that logistical constraints should not stigmatize a product's reputation, especially when that product has a very interesting window in the avocado import market."
For more information:
Xarki
Barriada El Trapiche, Cortijo Armario s/n
29719 Vélez-Málaga, Spain
Tel.: +952 500 827
[email protected]
https://xarki.com/