Avocado yields in Mexico would increase to meet growing demand in the United States, the US government reported.

California, the top grower in the United States, harvests avocados year-round.

But since avocados can ripen on the tree for an extended period, US growers are looking for opportunities to balance fruit quality with market conditions and often when there is less price pressure from Mexican imports.

Between 2018 and 2020, the peak of Mexico’s imports occurred from May to July.

Meanwhile, California avocado production decreased 9% between 2008-10 and 2018-20.

Some of the reasons behind the decline, according to the Department of Agriculture, include a forest fire in 2017 that destroyed orchards and mandatory water reductions in certain avocado production areas, which encouraged some growers to abandon orchards or reduce the size of trees to reduce water needs.

California

California-grown avocados are available year-round, with peak production periods occurring between February and September.

Other varieties of avocado have a more limited harvest season and generally have a lower price.

Due to its superior consumer quality, the Hass avocado has contributed greatly to the growing popularity of avocado through its retail, restaurant, and other food service uses.

In general, the shelf life of fresh avocados varies from one to four weeks, depending on the maturity of the fruit, the growing methods used and the handling conditions in the distribution chain.

Avocado yields

Mexico is the world’s leading supplier of avocados, with more than 80% of Mexico’s avocado exports shipped to the United States.

USDA‘s Foreign Agricultural Service reported that Mexican growers are working to improve yields to meet demand from the United States.

Between 2008-10 and 2018-2020, Mexico’s imports increased 260 percent.

Mexico ships avocados every month, except for the summer months.

Exports from Mexico to the United States have grown, probably due to increases in the area planted in Michoacán, the main avocado production area in Mexico and the only state that is allowed to export to the United States for phytosanitary reasons.

Peru is the second largest foreign supplier after Mexico; In 2018-2020, approximately 7% of US imports came from Peru.

Peru’s good growing conditions, combined with an increase in plantations, will likely continue to increase the country’s exports.

Peru’s harvest typically peaks from May to July.

With national avocado production declining 9% and imports generally increasing 199%, the share of imports in avocado availability has increased between 28 and 90% in 2018-20.

US producers plan their shipments around Mexican shipments.

Now Peruvian imports are arriving during the summer, when American growers have traditionally shipped their fruit.

With the large increase in per capita consumption, up to 88%, prices have been adequate to support American producers.