The Mexican avocado season lasts year-round, with a transition period in July when the late fruit is harvested in the highlands and the new fruit begins in the lower areas. This year, says Alfredo Rodriguez Sr., president and CEO of Villita Avocados, the transition has been slow, delayed until August, mainly due to climate effects and an increase in the minimum maturity standard for harvesting to improve consistency in flavor and quality.
Late fruit, commonly known as negra, is still available in limited quantities on the market in August. Meanwhile, the new fruit, loca, is starting to fill the market. In the next four weeks, Mexico will have to compensate for the seasonal volume decline in California and Peru, says Rodriguez Sr.
In Mexico, avocados for export to the United States come from both Michoacán and Jalisco. “The orchards with the highest volume right now are those with the Mendez Hass variety, a genetic selection that ripens about a month earlier than the regular Hass variety. However, the size is predominantly at the lower end of the size scale,” says Rodriguez Sr., adding that larger sizes such as 36 and 32 are difficult to obtain and those sizes will be available starting in mid-October. In addition, Nayarit, Colima and Morelos are already producing fruit, contributing to the Mexican market and other destinations for non-certified fruit.
The need for innovation in avocados
Diversity can be a challenge in the avocado industry. As Rodriguez Sr. notes, the industry relies primarily on one variety for the majority of its sales – Hass. “We need to take a leaf out of the apple growers’ book and develop more avocado varieties in Mexico to fill seasonal and size gaps,” he says. “We need to innovate to improve productivity and reduce water use so our product can grow incrementally.”
Villita has expanded its partnerships with organic avocado growers and is looking to grow within the avocado category by developing its packaged avocado offering. The introduction of a club pack of 8 avocados is seen as having the potential to drive additional sales, says Rodriguez Sr. “The bottom line is that avocado bags and other multi-packs with promotional coupons are the best ways to increase avocado consumption,” he adds.
As Mexico returns to the market with larger volumes, special pricing will be key to reigniting enthusiasm for Mexican avocados. There are many opportunities to use additional volumes from Jalisco to strengthen Michoacán’s already strong position.
For more information:
Rob Ybarra
Villita Avocados
(email protected)
https://villitaavocados.com/
