Alfredo Lira Chirif, general manager of Agricola Cerro Prieto (ACP), said that the company had produced 16,300 tons of avocado during the last campaign, which ran from April to June.
He stated that the fruit had been harvested in two plantations. The first one, a 500 acres plantation that was installed five years ago, produced 12,500 tons. The other one, a 530 acres plantation where they planted avocados two and a half years ago, produced 3,000 tons.
"In 2012 we had yields of 3 tons/hectare, in 2013 they amounted to 14 tons/hectare, and this year they amounted to 25 tons/hectare. Our greatest challenge is to maintain this performance and, if possible, increase it next year," he said.
Exports
According to Lira, the ACP exported about 14,000 tons of avocado (650 containers of 21.5 tons each) during the campaign that just concluded.
He noted that most of the shipments were destined to Europe and the United States. The company exported avocado at an FOB price of approximately U.S. $ 1.9 per kilo to the U.S., a price that was higher than the expected average price for this campaign, which ranged between 1.75 and 1.80 U.S. dollars per kilo, said Lira.
"That's why we sent 270 containers to the United States this season against the 8 containers we shipped to that country last year," he said. He also stated that there were two more reasons that motivated them to make deliveries to the United States. On the one hand, the fact of obtaining larger sizes, allowed them to meet American demand, which prefers larger avocados than the ones the company had produced last year.
"Last year an ACP avocado weighed on average 211 grams and this year it weighed 242 grams, which has enabled more than 70% of the production to be of European calibres 14, 16 and 18, which are the most desired by the major markets," he said.
Forecasts for 2015
Lira predicted that Agricola Cerro Prieto would produce 20,000 tons of avocado in 2015, because their 530 hectares would enter a period of increased production.
Regarding the possibility of sending avocado to new markets he stressed that they planned to export to Chile, a market that opened this year, next year.
He also said that the ACP is evaluating its strategic plan for the next six years and that there was the possibility they would want to plant avocado from other varieties.
In 2013 ACP produced 8,000 tons of avocado, of which it exported more than 7,000 tons (328 containers of 21.5 tons each), generating revenues of $11.5 million dollars. Thus, the average price was of U.S. $1.63 per kilo FOB.
Source: Agraria.pe