The avocado industry has expanded quickly in Colombia in the last decade. “Last year, avocado exports amounted to 97,000 tons worth 204 million dollars. This sector, which 12 years ago did not appear in any statistics, is already Colombia's fifth-largest agricultural exporter. Only coffee, flowers, bananas, and oil palm surpass it,” stated Jorge Enrique Restrepo, the president of CorpoHass, a guild of Hass avocado producers.
"It is the second most exported fruit after bananas and the leading non-traditional fruit export, as the banana sector has existed for decades and this fruit is already considered a traditional fruit in the country."
"The Hass avocado has only a 20-year history in Colombia and the producer association has barely existed for 10 years. According to official data, between January and September of this year Colombia has exported 76,000 tons of Hass avocado for a FOB value of 143 million dollars, i.e. 9% more than in the same period of last year."
The fruit has reached more than 30 destinations but five markets concentrate the bulk of exports, Restrepo stated. "The Netherlands is the main destination, usually accounting for 50% of all exports, on average, because the fruit enters Europe through Rotterdam, from where it is distributed to continental Europe. Historically the second destination was the United Kingdom, with a 15% to 20%, market share, but this year it's been displaced by the US, which achieved a 20% market share. The UK ranked third with 10% and was followed by Spain and Belgium. Seven nine markets were opened in the last five years: USA, Japan, Argentina, China, Peru. The Korean and Chilean markets were opened in this last year."
Colombia is the fourth-biggest avocado-consuming country in the world, but it consumes other varieties such as the Creole avocado, among others. "We don't know for certain what the consumption per capita is, but the internal market is a great opportunity for the Hass avocado."
Source: agronegocios.co