Brazil is internationalizing its Hass avocado production, with Chile as a key market starting in 2025. The opening of the Chilean market, announced in December, will allow Brazil to send its avocados to one of the largest avocado-consuming markets, with an annual consumption of 8.5 kilos per person.
Historically, Brazil has focused on producing tropical avocados for domestic consumption, mainly in sweet preparations. According to Adilson Penariol, president of Abacates do Brasil, the shift towards Hass avocado began about seven years ago, with projects that raised production quality to meet the growing demand for fresh fruit and guacamole.
Brazil has some 22,000 hectares of avocado registered, although the figure could be closer to 30,000 due to small, unaccounted producers. The production capacity is 320,000 tons per year, with the Hass variety accounting for 10% of the production.
Penariol highlighted the collaboration with the Chilean Avocado Committee and stressed that Brazil's production window, which runs from February to July, complements the Chilean season, which begins in October. The quality of Brazilian avocados, with more oil and better flavor, is seen as a competitive advantage over Peruvian avocados. In addition, shipping the product to Chile by land is cheaper and faster than sending it to Europe by sea.
Brazil seeks to establish clear rules to ensure the quality of the products exported to Chile, avoiding competing on price with Peru in Europe. Chile's preference for quality over price is seen as an opportunity for Brazil. The Brazilian domestic market still needs to mature, but exporting to Chile represents a growth opportunity for Hass avocado, Penariol stated. Imports of Chilean avocado in the counter-season strengthen this commercial relationship.
Source: redagricola.com