A Nicaraguan avocado producer, David Arguello, from the farm El Bambú, hopes to be exporting fresh avocados to Europe and Central America soon. “Currently what I produce I sell to the local market at the average price of $0.60 cents per fruit. However, I hope once we have more volume and get to know markets in Europe, we would be able to export more since the quality of our avocado comes first.”
David Arguello, on his avocado farm El Bambú in Nicaragua.
He is an agronomist by profession who worked in the distribution of plant protection products in Nicaragua for several years. “I decided to start a personal project of planting avocado since Nicaragua is an eminently agricultural country with optimal soil and climate conditions for agriculture and with available labour. The main current export markets are Central America and Europe to where processed avocado paste is exported.”
The farm "El Bambú" is located in the municipality of Masatepe, in the department of Masaya, 46 kilometres from the Nicaraguan capital city of Managua. Arguello says they have optimal logistics move the harvest and in the future to take the products to the local ports for export.
“I selected the avocado crop because it is a healthy fruit that is being consumed with greater demand both in the local market and abroad. My vision of exporting and the mission is of giving employment to boost the economy of my country and produce a healthy avocado for human consumption. The bamboo farm is 10 hectares with intensive use of varieties of high quality taste, size, flavour and colour. One of my purposes is to provide the market with an avocado with a lot of flavour that is healthy while lowering the chemical load and ensuring a harmless fruit for human consumption,” explains Arguello.
He says the avocado production areas in Nicaragua cover about 5,000 hectares, which has been growing through different projects for export. “It is estimated that in 2025 some 8,000-10,000 hectares may be established. The number of producers can reach about 1,500 small and medium sized ones. The avocado harvest season depends on the varieties that are planted. We have planted in greater quantity Benik, Simmon and Choquete varieties. The variety with the largest planting area is Benik, which has good quality and size and reaches the best price in the local market. The varieties that are mainly exported is Benik, however there are new projects of companies that are planting the Hass variety for export.”
Several challenges
“There are several challenges for us as producers. We are too small and medium producers lack financing, we have high input costs. The new varieties are resistant to pests, diseases and are more productive in terms of quantity and quality. This requires a change of the mentality of the producer from traditional to technical management and in this case technical assistance is fundamental,” states Arguello.
“One of my dreams is to export quality avocados from Nicaragua. To raise the standard of living of farmers who send their children to school and get out of poverty. It is a challenge that is difficult but I have the focus to meet it,” says a determined Arguello.
For more information:
David Arguello
El Bambú
Tel: +505 8201 8811
Email: [email protected]
