A closer look at Peru and Chile avocados

Two avocado suppliers having an interesting impact on the global and U.S. avocado market are Peru and Chile.

Since signing a free trade agreement with the United States, both countries have taken advantage of the opportunity and are engaged in supplying the U.S. market.

Peru production falls into the same supply window as California’s Hass market. In 2017, Peru exported 52,550 metric tons of avocado to the United States, its highest number yet, representing an increase of 10 percent since 2015.

Both Peru and Chile bounced back from 2016 when heavy rains and flooding significantly affected production.

From 2013 to 2017, Peru increased exports to the United States by 115 percent. Peru’s highest monthly shipments were in June 2017, with a 33 percent increase compared to 2015.

Chile increased exports to the United States by 17 percent in 2017 compared with 2016, exporting 31,484 metric tons.

Until 2012, Chile had been second top exporter of avocados to the United States but was surpassed by Peru in 2013 and has been in third place ever since.

This is an excerpt from the most recent Produce Blueprints quarterly journal. Click here to read the full article.