We're wrapping up a tour of northern Peru, visiting avocado orchards and seeing how they fared after the natural fruit drop. We found mixed orchards, some with more fruit than others, but all above the average of two or three years ago. However, the season could start three to five weeks late due to the cold winter and a summer with below-average temperatures.

This could lead to a greater supply of larger sizes in Peru, increasing the supply in both kilograms and units. Those of us in the industry know that agronomists aim to maximize production per hectare, while distributors sell by the unit, which has segmented the market by size.

Another issue we've noticed is the cleanliness of the fruit, free from pests and diseases that could affect its quality. To date, and barring any extraordinary events (such as an El Niño phenomenon), we expect a slightly higher volume than last year. Therefore, it's crucial to prepare commercially to distribute the fruit in new markets and avoid overcrowding Europe, where we are the leading market this season.

The regulation requiring exports with a minimum of 22% dry matter content should help protect Peru's brand as a reliable supplier in the global market. Regarding greenskins, the season will begin around the first week of March with good market prospects, strong prices due to demand from Russia and other Eastern European countries, and some quality issues in South Africa.

Alfredo Lira Chirif
Peru
alfredo@agroleal.pro