Ecuador to increase exports of hass avocado with new technology
In the last 5 years, Ecuador exported 34,352 tons of avocado, with an income of US$2.3 million, according to numbers from the Central Bank of Ecuador.
From that, 93% went to Colombia, 6% to Spain and the difference to US, Dutch Antilles, Canada, the Netherlands, Hong Kong and South Korea.
Iniap studies were focused on the Hass variety, qualified for export, and the variety Strong or Guatemalan for local consumption. It's estimated that in Ecuador there are 7,000 hectares of avocado, from which 500 ha are sown with the Hass variety.
"Ecuador has a potential to sow up to 100,000 ha with the Hass variety, a big opportunity to export that was still not made the most of", affirmed Marcelo Reinoso, producer in the province of Tungurahua.
Scientists at Iniap search for a way to help producers to strengthen growing and exporting of this fruit. The director Wilson Vásquez explained that, the difference with other countries is that Ecuador can produce avocado all year round, with production and harvesting peaks well defined from February to March and from August to September. He also said that, other countries, due to a different climate, usually produce once a year, in a 4 to 5 months period.
Source: Andes