Israel is having a good avocado harvest season with a return to much higher volumes than last season, with good European market demand and prices. Eitan Zvi, VP of marketing at Galilee Export in Israel, says that despite the higher volumes the prices and demand have remained strong. "The export market is very strong, so for us it's a good season and good campaign so far. It seems like it will continue like this."
Israel is heading into the last quarter of their avocado season that started in October last year. "We are getting into the last part of our season with a big campaign. The Green skin will finish in a few weeks' time. We will continue with the departures until mid-April. We are having a very successful season. The prices are very good, even for green skin avocado it is a big season. The prices are much better than the last big season we had during the 2022/23 period."
This 2023/24 avocado season Israel is seeing about 240,000 tons of production with 40% for the domestic market and 60% for export. A good winter season, together with ideal flowering contributed to the good volumes this year in what producers say is an 'on-year'. Israel's main export market for avocado is Europe. Other producing countries in Africa have also ramped up production that is now filling the local market gap Israel used to supply. "We do almost only Europe. We cannot send anything South America due to their own production. We used to send to other countries in Africa with some Pinkerton going to South Africa, but they cover the window, while Kenya, Zambia and others grow avocado too," says Zvi.
Israel does not have much markets access for their avocados in Asia, especially not to the large markets of China and India. "While we do have access to Japan, but due to expensive and the very long logistical chain, together with Mexico that is able to send avocados that are cheaper than Israel, we are not sending product there. We send green skin to Eastern Europe and Russia as the main market for that variety. For us the classic countries in Europe are Germany and France and the UK," concludes Zvi.
For more information:
Eitan Zvi
Galilee Export
Tel: +972-3-6539014
Email: [email protected]
www.galilee-export.com