The Colombian avocado industry is hopeful that by 2018 the low proportion of national output currently exported will increase dramatically as production soars and growers set their sights abroad. 

This coming season 3,500 metric tons (MT) of Hass avocados are expected to be shipped overseas, from an estimated total production 50,000MT.

Colombian Hass Avocado Growers and Exporters Corporation (CORPOHASS) secretary Jean Pierre Coulet told www.freshfruitportal.com the country essentially had only 'two types' of producers up until now, but the situation was looking more positive for the future.

"There were those who had the opportunity to export - the number of whom is increasing at the moment - and those who have not been able to export. Business for the latter has been very slow," Coulet said.

A lot of the fruit the country produces is not of a high enough quality to be exported, and as a result the only option for many growers is to sell to the domestic market, consequently driving down prices.

"There are loads of farms that don't have certification and their only option is to sell to the domestic market where the prices aren't particularly attractive," he said, adding a lot of small growers were bucking the trend by seeking out better growing techniques and certifications.

There are around 9,500 hectares of Hass avocado-growing land in Colombia, but only around 60% of them are currently producing fruit - partly due to the fact 40,000 avocado trees have recently been planted throughout the country.

Coulet said that given the huge future increase in production and the fact many of the smaller growers were seeking official certifications to be able to export, by 2018 he expected exports would shoot up a whopping 600%.

Tedious government procedures

In terms of markets, the European Union is the main destination for exporters, receiving more than 90% of Colombia's volume. The remaining amount is sent to Canada and parts of Central America and the Caribbean region.

Coulet said opening up the U.S. market was currently the industry's most pressing objective, and the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) was in the process of evaluating the work plant submitted by the Colombian authorities.

"We're still in the consultancy stage, but we believe that by the end of the year we will have an official response from APHIS...and probably by the end of 2015 we will have market access," he said, emphasizing these timeframes were only initial estimates and such government procedures were often 'tedious'.

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