The largest market in the world has opened its doors to Colombian avocados. The Colombian Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Maria Claudina Lacouture, stated that this market had a great potential for Colombia. In 2016, the United States imported about 2 billion dollars in avocado; almost 90 percent of which it bought from Mexico.
With the opening of this market, producers and exporters could double the amount of Hass avocado they export. Up to June of this year, Colombia has exported 25.2 million dollars in avocado, almost in its entirety to Europe.
Juliana Florez, from AguaHass Colombia, spoke about this great news: "It is very interesting and shocking news. We have sought to enter the US market for at least 10 years. This opening will likely lead to greater foreign investment and it will create more possibilities for producers, which will bring new plantings and help increase rural employment. The fields are one of the great scenarios to invest in, not only because of their contribution to the development of the regions, but also because they allow hundreds of families to improve their quality of life.
However, Juliana also said that, for now, the European market would continue to be her main customer and focus. "We had access to that market when we started planting. We want to show them our support because they believed in us."
In her view, Mexico will continue to be the main supplier for the United States. "We are a young origin and we must show that there are zero pest incidences for a consecutive year in our plots and for 4 months on the neighboring plots (1 km around)," she said. Colombia must overcome five stages in the Hass Avocado admissibility process to the United States market:
1. Selection of production sites and buffer areas
2. Characterization of the Buffer Census Area
3. Diagnosis of quarantine pest-buffer area: Presence-Absence
4. Management and eradication of quarantine pests in commercial and non-commercial production sites and backyards
5. Monthly surveillance in all places with avocados.
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Juliana Flórez