Tropical Fruit Congress takes stock of avocado and mango production

As part of MACFRUT 2018, the first TROPICAL FRUIT CONGRESS was held, the European summit dedicated to mango and avocado. Twenty stakeholders from around the world gave their views on production, import / export and consumption of these fruits.

 

 

 

On the subject of avocado production, Peru, which is the leading supplier of avocados in Europe (154,468 tonnes in 2017 according to AMAP data), expects a Hass avocado production of more than 300,000 tonnes almost 30,000 hectares. Chile, the second largest avocado supplier in the European markets, has a surface area of ​​23,500 hectares and a production of 225,000 tonnes of Hass avocados. Colombia has a production of 80,000 tons and an area of ​​15,000 hectares. The country is the sixth largest supplier in Europe and plans to increase by 33% in 2018 its exports to the European markets.

 

 

 

Europe also produces avocados: in Spain (seventh world producer) on an area of ​​about 10,000 hectares and in Italy, mainly in Sicily, where avocado production began on about 260 hectares. From 2015 to 2017 European consumption has recorded an annual growth of 20% and the potential remains high. For mango production, Spain has about 5,000 hectares and Italy about 100 hectares.

 

 

 

"The aspect on which we must continue to focus is the need to sell the fruit at its optimum maturity, ready-to-eat.The consumer can not yet recognize when this fruit is ripe, so it is necessary to help it: the industry, supported by technology, has the necessary tools and the consumer must be available to pay for this added value, "said Enrique Colilles, General Manager of the Spanish company TROPS.