After 10 years of negotiations, Ecuador’s Phytosanitary and Zoosanitary Regulation and Control Agency (Agrocalidad) recently confirmed that the USDA’s APHIS has approved and signed the protocol for the exportation of fresh avocado to the U.S.

On June 15, during a bilateral meeting held between APHIS and Agrocalidad, both parties reached a technical agreement which allowed development of an Operational Work Plan (OWP).

The OWP was officially signed on July 25, 2023. A date for an official first shipment is yet to be confirmed by Agrocalidad.

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Ecuador has about 160 registered avocado producers in the provinces of Carchi, El Oro, Guayas, Imbabura, Los Ríos, Manabí, Pichincha, Santa Elena and Tungurahua.

The  sector employs about 11,000 people.

In 2022, Ecuadorian avocado exports drove over a million dollars in revenue, with roughly 1,300 tons shipped to Spain, France, Russia, Dubai, Kazakhstan, and others.