Jalisco, Mexico – According to the most recent data from FAOSTAT, global avocado production increased to nearly 8.7 million tons in 2021 from 8.1 million tons in 2020. Mexico was the main producer, at 2.4 million tons. This plays a large factor as to why Mexico is a huge contributor to world avocado exports.
Let’s take a closer look at the Mexican avocado season and how it translates to production and export volumes. In Mexico, avocado-cultivating regions can produce practically throughout the whole year. The highest volume is produced between September and December, and the lowest is between April and June.
Mexican Exports
The main destination for Mexican avocado exports is the US. About 45% of Mexico’s avocado volumes are exported internationally, mainly to the US. In fact, The US’ imports of Mexican avocados are the biggest trade flow in the world. According to the most recent data from the USDA, the US imported 1.1 million metric tons of avocados from Mexico in 2021, representing 89% of the US’ total avocado imports.
The US demand for avocados is expected to continue to increase in the coming years. This will further boost the leadership of the Mexican avocado, especially as farmers from Jalisco have begun to join farmers from Michoacán in exporting Hass avocados to the US. According to the Association of Avocado Producers of Jalisco, by July 2023, between 80,000 to 100,000 tons of Jalisco avocados are expected to be exported to the US.
Source: Fresh Plaza