Worldwide Fruit started their Spanish avocado season in December and now have programmed arrivals each week.
"The fruit quality has been very good but due to the severe impact of drought in the Axarquia region of Spain over the last 2 years there are significant areas of avocado trees that are not now in production and where trees are still producing fruit, the fruit size tends to medium to small. There is very little volume available of large fruit," explains Mark Everett, Business Unit Director – Avocados at Worldwide Fruit.
"Having said this however there are new production regions in Spain that have better water catchment and access to water. These areas are increasing production as new plantings come into supply."
Worldwide Fruit are also receiving good volumes of avocados from Israel weekly and considering the tragic situation there avocado exports have been maintained and suppliers continue to load to program.
"We continue to load from Chile as we value the ripening performance and eating quality of this origin and are also loading fruit and receiving from Egypt, Morocco and Portugal."
Demand in the UK is currently strong as there is a high level of retail promotional activity and drive for healthy eating.
"We expect to receive the first containers of Peru fruit from our Highlands project by the middle of March. In March 2023 the northern part of Peru was severely impacted by cyclone Yaku and some areas were exposed to biblical levels of rain. Also El Nino is having an impact and this had led to a delay in flowering on some farms with a subsequent expected delayed start to the harvest this season."
Mark is also looking forward to the South African supply, he said that growers are expecting a good season of quality fruit from South Africa.
When asked about the port situation in South Africa Mark said, "That’s a good question as we have been exposed to challenges related to electricity supply, access of well serviced controlled atmosphere containers and shipping delays in recent years in South Africa. That being said however we remain optimistic."
"Shipping challenges in the Red Sea and Panama Canal are making the movement of avocados around the world more complicated. The Red Sea will have a significant impact on East Africa supply to Europe but there does appear to be some alternatives in Panama with the possibility to move containers across the country by train."
For more information:
Mark Everett
Worldwide Fruit
Tel: +44 1775 717019
[email protected]
www.worldwidefruit.co.uk