The Mexican avocado harvest: a dance of prices and volumes!
Mexico
Last week, Mexico harvested a total of 30,517 tons of avocados for export to the United States, of which 23,455 tons were shipped, representing a 77% utilization rate. However, a significant amount remained in inventory and shipments began on Monday of this week.
But what's happening in the avocado market? Prices this season have been at record levels, 100% higher than last season. However, the volume shipped to market is 684,000 tons, 5% less than at the same time last season.
The question is, why are producers waiting to harvest? The answer is simple: prices have started to adjust downward, and producers prefer to wait. This week, we have 7% more hectares available for harvest than last week.
The fruit size distribution remains a problem, as the abundance of small fruit and the price difference between a size 48 and a size 70 is almost $40. This can create a market imbalance and affect producers' profitability.
The avocado season continues to be a challenge for everyone involved. We hope we can meet the required volume for the remainder of the season.
I wish you a nice week.
Antonio Villaseñor Zurita
Mexico
