Spain: Avocados reach highest export volumes since 2012
The 2014/2015 financial year has been very positive for the avocado sector. According to a prelimina…The 2014/2015 financial year has been very positive for the avocado sector. According to a preliminary assessment made by the Prices and Markets Observatory of the Government of Andalusia (still lacking the figures for June and July), exports this season have increased by 16% in volume, reaching 64,989 tonnes (in 2013/14 they totalled 56,212 tonnes) and by 37% in value, with 148.2 million Euro (118.5 in the previous year). These are the best results of the past three seasons.
Europe is the main recipient of the product's exports, as it accounts for 95% of the total. France is the most important customer, with over 24,600 tonnes (40% of total exports).
Prices at origin have also increased, with an average of 1.78 €/kilo, i.e. 0.23 €/kilo more than in the previous year. Worthy to note are the peak prices registered from mid-March to late May, when the average price paid to growers has ranged between 2.10 and 2.68 €/kilo, and has even reached 3 €/kilo.
The variety that has reached the highest price is, as usual, the Hass, while smooth varieties have stood at similar levels as in previous years (0.65 €/kilo for the Bacon and 0.90 €/kilo for the Fuerte). The reason for this optimal price development has been a shortage in the European market due to weather adversities in third countries, which caused a delay in the harvest and a decline in their production.