Chilean avocado producers have welcomed China’s announcement last week that it may ease restrictions on fruit imports from the Metropolitan and Valparaíso regions. Juan Enrique Lazo, general manager of the Hass Avocado Committee said he was optimistic that the Chinese authorities would lift its ban on shipments that have not been subject to cold treatment for fruit fly.
“This is a very positive development for the sector, as between them the two regions account for 85 per cent of Chilean avocado exports and 76 per cent of the country’s planted area,” he said. “Although we see huge potential in China for Chilean avocados, it would be very difficult to build a presence there under the current restrictions.”
Lazo said that the latest production estimates point to a crop of 160,000-180,000 tonnes of avocados for the coming season, of which a much bigger share would be shipped to China if the ban were lifted. He added, however, that this would not mean that other exports markets would be undersupplied as growth in China would be gradual.
“China is a new market and avocados are still relatively unknown. For this reason we plan to run a promotional programme in the coming season that will focus on educating consumers on basic points such as how to ripen and eat avocados,” he said.
At present, around 50 per cent of avocado output is sold in Chile, where per capita consumption rates are high (6kg). Lazo said the 2014/15 had been atypical due to record prices
Lazo classified the 2014/15 season as “atypical” due to record prices on the domestic market which “has made it difficult for exporters to fullfill their export commitments, particularly in the US”.
He pointed out that of the total export volume, some 66 per cent had been shipped to Europe so far this season compared with 48 per cent in 2013/14.
