According to comments from the Chairman of the Chilean Hass Avocado Committee, Adolfo Ochagavía to SimFRUIT, in terms of volumes this season is expected to have a bit less than the previous one. "We estimate that the total harvest will be about 8% lower. Last season was about 200 thousand tons and this year we are calculating it to be about 185 thousand tons" he said.
In terms of target markets, Ochagavía said that Chile is the largest single market for domestic avocados and according to the Committee´s estimates, it is expected that about 45% of this fruit will be distributed in the domestic market, and the rest will be exported to different markets.
"We have a shipment of avocados to Europe between 6 and 7 percent higher than last year's shipments. We will reach about 34,000 tons. While shipments to the U.S. are being checked," he pointed out.
Originally shipments to the United States had been estimated by the Committee at about 61,000 tons, but this figure will decline.
When asked about the causes of this decline in shipments to the U.S. market, the Chairman of the Chilean Hass Avocado Committee, said that this is not due to a defined strategy for each market, but rather a response to the variations and realities displayed in each of them. For example, the executive said, "in the U.S market an important juncture in which we find a homegrown high volume (California), to which we have to add an abundant crop coming from Mexico, which would be even be higher than the previous year. On the other hand, a few weeks ago the supply of avocados from Peru ended, a country that for the first time, supplied their entire season," said Adolfo Ochagavía.
The U.S. market is very well supplied this season, as Adolfo Ochagavía pointed out. A situation that was already known in Chile before the season started, so it was decided to supply a little later than usual. "We have already sent some shipments and they should begin to grow from October," said the chairman.
As for market openings Ochagavía Adolfo said that the company is currently working together with the respective government agencies to achieve the entry of Chilean avocado in markets like China, Brazil and South Africa.
Source: SimFRUIT