A report by trade promotion agency ProChile has identified Poland as a market with strong potential for Chilean avocados.
Consumption of the green fruit has risen sharply in recent years in the east European country. Data from Trade Map shows that Chile shipped US$1.28m of avocados to Poland in 2016, an increase of 87 per cent on the previous year. This gave Chile a 4.42 per cent share of the market.
The last official census carried out in 2015 reveals that 47 per cent of Poles consumed more fruits and vegetables than five years ago.
The census showed that avocado consumption is more prevalent in large cities and centres of tourism.
“The Polish avocado market is growing strongly and demand is expected to continue rising,” the ProChile report said. “As well as the internal market, Poland is a centre for the processing and re-export of the fruit and as such requires supplies throughout the year from both hemispheres.”
Chile is currently the seventh biggest supplier of avocados to Poland after Spain, Israel, South Africa, Peru, Germany and the Netherlands, the last two supplying product re-exported from other sources.
ProChile also highlighted the growth in direct sourcing as Polish retailers seek to bypass intermediaries and buy fruit straight from the producer.
