Two months before the end of the Chilean avocado campaign, it has been confirmed that, although the production volume will remain the same as that of the previous season, it won't be possible to reach the initial estimate of 210 million kilos. Growers believe that the actual harvest volume will amount to between 180 and 190 million kilos, out of which 125-130 million will be exported.
"The fields have yielded fewer kilos per hectare. At the start of the campaign, prices were higher than normal, so many producers, in order to take advantage of these returns, decided to harvest the fruit earlier than usual. Fortunately, this didn't take a toll on the final quality of the fruit. In any case, there will be availability of fruit for export until the end of March, but volumes in this period will be lower than last year," affirmed Sebastián Vallejos, Agricom's production manager.
It is also worth highlighting that, in recent years, the European market has undergone changes, as the increase in the supply of avocados from different sources has led to changes in the requirements for this fruit. "We have had to adapt a lot, because the entry of large volumes from Peru and from new producing countries has shaped the demands of consumers; however, if we compare the market with that of 5 or 6 years ago, there has been an overall increase of prices, and therefore the returns are greater for the producers, which makes their cultivation interesting," stresses the spokesperson.
To this situation we must add that, as a result of the constant droughts in recent years, the total amount of hectares cultivated has been reduced by more than 40%. "In the past, we had 35,000 hectares and now no more than 19,000 hectares. This drop is due to droughts and climate changes, but seeing that this fruit is profitable, producers are looking for lands to plant, although the amount of areas suitable for cultivation is quite limited," states Vallejos.
Demand for avocados has been growing gradually in both conventional and emerging markets, so Chile is constantly seeking solutions to these limitations.
"As growers, we are looking for new areas and have also made progress in the field of research on seeds, looking for those that are more tolerant and resistant to Chile's limitations. This is the answer to how the industry will be able to develop again in Chile." concluded the representative.
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Sebastián Vallejos
Agricom