South African avos remain on course for strong season

South Africa’s avocado growers have just shipped their 8-millionth carton of the season, as the campaign remains on track for a high-volume, high-quality output.

The industry is well on course for the 12.5 million-carton (50,000 tonnes) export crop predicted earlier in the season. Some 40% will consist of green skin varieties and 60% of Hass.

This season stands in stark contrast to the 2011 campaign, which was hampered by low fruit supply due to hailstorms during key growing periods. The 2011 export crop stood at just 6.7m cartons.

Derek Donkin, chief executive of the South African Avocado Growers’ Association (SAAGA), says: “We expect the last major shipments of South African fruit to arrive in Europe in mid to late October. The quality of our avocados so far this year has been high, and we expect that to continue for the remainder of the season.”

SAAGA is continuing with its promotional activities in the UK, Sweden and South Africa in 2012, to ensure that export and domestic demand continues to grow in line with South Africa’s growing production.