The avocado harvest in Israel is growing significantly. It is up by about 67% compared to 2023, says Betsalel Ohana of Planet Israel, after visiting the Avocado Growers Conference that was recently held. The conference was an initiative of the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture. "The avocado harvest in 2024 is expected to be 250,000 tons compared to about 150,000 tons in 2023. The industry is growing tremendously, despite the difficulties that the war has heaped on agriculture in Israel. The main reasons can be found in the fact that the amount of plantations that has grown significantly in the last two decades, as well as the per capita consumption that has jumped from 8-9 kg to 12 kg per year."
It has been very difficult to get ahead this season, as there were significant labour issues, Ohana explains. "That is despite the war and the difficulties in cultivating some of the growing areas. Difficulties that the war has heaped on Israeli agriculture, including a shortage of manpower throughout the country and limited access to fenced orchards in the north and south. The previous record was about 210,000 tons of avocados in 2022. This increase is thanks to the resourcefulness and courage of the growers, and the mobilization of thousands of volunteers, who understood the magnitude of the hour and the importance of agriculture. As a result, there was no fear of a shortage of fruit in the markets."
Ohana emphasizes that the Israeli avocado industry benefits from the opening of new markets around the world, including the Far East, and as such as ramping up production: "In the last 20 years, the acreage of avocado cultivation in Israel has increased significantly, from about 4,000 hectares in 2004 to about 14,300 hectares now. This is a trend that is expected to continue in the coming years, with an annual planting rate of 500 to 600 hectares contributing to this increase. The most popular varieties are the black ones, such as Hass, which due to their high demand in the world markets, already make up about 62% of the growth in Israel, while the green varieties, headed by Ettinger and Pinkerton, make up about 38% of a crop of 250,000 tons."
A large chunk of the avocado production is exported to the European market, Ohana explains. "Israel exports about 50% of its crops. The main Israeli export market is Europe, about 80% of the total export. The Israel portion of the avocados imported to the European market is about 25% to 30%. The main variety for export is the Hass avocado, as this is the most preferred variety in Europe. Our main competitors are Chile, Spain and Morocco. At the background of the war, there were some problems and order cancellations in the European markets, mainly in some of the Scandinavian countries and a few in France, but luckily, it's more of a local event and a one-off phenomenon."
For Israel, there are six main varieties of avocados, Ohana explains. "Galil is harvested between the end of August and the end of September, which makes it the avocado variety that is harvested first each season. This is a thin, light green skinned avocados, with an elongated shape. The second variety is Hass, one of the most popular avocado varieties in Israel, harvested from mid-November to April. This avocado is thick and has a rough bark of dark green to black colour, and is pear-shaped."
"The third variety is Ettinger, another popular avocado variety in Israel. This one is harvested from mid-September to May, and is characterized by an elliptical shape and a dotted green skin that, does not change its colour when ripening. The fourth variety is Fuerte, which is harvested from the end of November to April. It's the fattest of the avocado varieties in Israel, with a thin and smooth shell. The colour is dark green, with an elliptical shape."
"Pinkerton is an avocado that is harvested from mid-November to March. The avocado has a slightly elongated shape, and a rough green bark of medium thickness. Finally, there's the Reed avocado, which is closing its season at the end of July," Ohana concludes.
For more information:
Betsalel Ohana
Planet Israel Farms
Tel: +972 54 738 3436
Email: [email protected]
www.planetisrael.farm