Uruapan, Michoacán - Mexico's Association of Avocado Producers, Packers, and Exporters (APEAM) stated that exports to Japan continued to increase, and estimated that this year they would export a total of 62,300 tons of avocado to that destination.

The general director of APEAM, Armado Lopez Orduña, said that Mexico had exported 55,091 tons of avocado to Japan in 2017.

Thus, in 2018, exports increased by 7,209 tons of fruit, which demonstrates that the expansion continues to be solid, stressed Lopez Orduña.

The general director of APEAM noted that exports were made by producers from the states of Michoacán and Jalisco. In an interview with El Financiero, he said the producers of Michoacán were expected to export 41,800 tons of avocado to Japan in 2018, while the producers from Jalisco would send 20,500 tons to that market.

In addition, Lopez Orduña said there were 23 packers associated with APEAM that export to Japan and that 90% of Japanese consumption was supplied by Mexico.

The APEAM is carrying out a strategy in Japan to promote the avocado produced in Michoacán and Jalisco. The association hired the famous Japanese actor, Mokomichi Hayami, with the purpose of promoting the nutritional benefits of avocado.