The U.S. remains the No.2 market for Peruvian avocados

The United States isn’t the top export destination for Peruvian avocados, but it’s close.

In 2021 Peru’s fresh avocado exports reached 526 million kilos for $1.05 billion, reflecting an increase of 28.2 percent in volume and 39 percent in value when compared to the previous year, Fernando Cilloniz Benavides, president of the consulting firm Inform@ccion, told Agraria.

The main destinations were the Netherlands, the U.S., Spain, and Chile, who together concentrated 68 percent of the total volume, or 358,000 tons.

Cilloniz explained that in 2021, the Netherlands received 180,000 tons of fresh avocado from Peru; the U.S. bought 90,000 tons; Spain with 88,000 tons; and Chile with 71,500 tons. Other important markets were the UK with 38,000 tons, Russia with 11,000 tons, and China with 14,000 tons, among others.

He predicts that in 2022, Peruvian fresh avocado exports will grow in volume by around 20 percent compared to the previous year, exceeding 600,000 tons.

“There are many new avocado plantations throughout the country and especially in the coastal valleys and the upper parts of the ravines, heading towards the Sierra, such as Huaytará and Castrovirreyna (provinces of Huancavelica), so exports of this fruit will continue to grow,” he said.

Image sources are either licensed or customer-provided.