The popularity of avocados continues to grow worldwide. Especially in the US, the green fruit is hugely popular. On average, Americans eat three times as many avocados per person as Europeans. The share of organic avocados is also growing: in the US, 10% of the total is organic, while in Europe it is around 5%.
Growing demand for avocados is causing tightness on the world market. The European harvest of avocados only starts in December. Until then, it is not easy to get enough overseas avocados on shop shelves. Imports from Peru are expected to stop as early as August. There will be imports from Kenya until about mid-September, but volumes are a lot smaller than demand.
Competition with the US
In Mexico, the country known for its large-scale avocado production, harvesting is currently in full swing. However, because the US offers higher prices, Mexican growers prefer to deliver to the US. This competition increases the challenge for the European market. Thanks to good and long-standing relationships with Mexican growers, Eosta still managed to conclude a large programme for organic avocados from Mexico. In weeks 37-38, the first containers will arrive at the port of Rotterdam.
Good relationship
Eosta has been working with three organic avocado growing projects in Mexico for ten years. Last week, Eosta employees Gert-Jan Lieffering, Jurgen den Boer and Nicolas Coste made a visit to the cultivation projects to secure deliveries and check on quality.
Den Boer notes, "We are honoured and happy that, thanks to our long-standing cooperation and guidance, Eosta does continue to receive deliveries of organic avocados for the European market. Despite the fact that some growers have dropped out to export to Europe due to better prices in the US, Eosta has managed to maintain a good reputation and set up another great programme with a number of growers for the coming season."
Raingrown
Growing one kilogram of avocados requires an average of 800 litres of water. In Mexico, avocados are 'raingrown', or in other words, from rainfall the avocado trees get enough water. Because no irrigation with well and groundwater is needed, Mexican avocados are extra sustainable and unique. Eosta imports the avocados by boat. The respective growers not only have EU BIO certification, but also SMETA (full compliant), GRASP and SPRING.
For more information:
Jurgen den Boer
Eosta | Nature & More
Tel: +31 (0)180 63 55 34
[email protected]
www.eosta.com