Greenskin avocado production from the Dominican Republic started much earlier than normal; growers and importers are in for a very good season, according to Desiree Morales with WP Produce.
The season started as usual in mid-October, however with much more volume due to Hurricane Irma’s destruction on the Florida crop. “Usually our peak is in January but we’re already importing just as much now in October as we normally do in January,” she says. “So it looks like it will be a strong season for Dominican Republic. There’s plenty of fruit, and the quality is good. Supplies may be tight for those who receive fruit from Puerto Rico, since Hurricane Maria affected their crop as well. “The supply in Florida has diminished by about 90 per cent, but in the Dominican I’d say it’s about a 40 percent more supply than last year, so they’re going to be having a very good year on the crop and it will definitely be needed.” Morales says they will likely be sending some of their fruit to Puerto Rico.
This will be the first season for WP’s organic line of avocados from the Dominican Republic, also under the Desbry brand. Morales says the program will be starting off small, with likely one to two containers per week, which is about 2,000 cases. Shipments will arrive into the US in November. “People have been asking for organic. For the past three years we’ve been pushing our growers to certify organic and it takes a couple of years to do so. Finally this will be the first of many more years to come.”
Prices began higher this year – about 90 percent more this year comparing the same weeks from last year. She doesn’t believe they’ll keep increasing at this rate. “They will definitely be increasing, but not at a 90 per cent rate.”
For more information:
Desiree Morales
WP Produce
Ph: (305) 326-8333