Emerging origins
Honduras is betting on avocados after coffee
The president of ASPAH projects a five-year goal for a country that imports about 95% of its consumption, after making its first shipment to Dubai.
September 28, 2026
Honduras wants avocados to become a major export. In an interview with Avobook, Carlos Robleto, president of the Honduran Avocado Producers Association (ASPAH), explains that the sector has set a five-year goal: to make avocados the country's second largest export, after coffee.
The starting point illustrates the magnitude of the challenge. Honduras imports approximately 95% of the avocados it consumes, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock previously cited by Avobook. At the same time, its producers are working to expand domestic production and access international markets.
The gap with that goal is also reflected in the value of current exports. According to preliminary figures from the Central Bank of Honduras, in 2025 coffee led the main general merchandise products with US$2,391.1 million, followed by palm oil with US$475.5 million and bananas with US$391.6 million.
To occupy second place under this classification, the avocado would have to surpass a level of external sales similar to that of palm oil in that year; Robleto sets that position as a goal for five years in the future.
The first air shipment of avocados to Dubai is one of the advances in this process. Robleto defines this milestone as “the culmination of an effort of more than two years” in certifications, good agricultural practices, and producer preparation. The fruit came from areas located at altitudes of 1,300 meters above sea level and above, in El Playón, Comayagua, La Paz, Intibucá, and Lempira.
Opening a new market also presents the challenge of maintaining standards. Robleto points out that producers must comply with SENASA, GlobalG.AP, and Rainforest Alliance requirements to participate in exports. “Getting there is easy; staying there is the hard part,” he says.
According to the president of ASPAH, Honduras has more than 1,200 avocado producers and between 1,200 and 1,500 hectares under cultivation. The association brings together more than 400 producers in 17 of the country's 18 departments and provides them with technical assistance, support with inputs, and help in obtaining financing. Its goal is to facilitate access to markets that will allow those who grow the fruit to improve their income.
The weather is among the main obstacles to growth. Robleto recounts that some producing areas had gone 37 days without rain at the time of the interview (September 2026) and that reaching between 23% and 24% dry matter for shipment required intense work. Added to this was the higher cost of air transport.
The trade route already has defined next steps, although they are still pending. ASPAH expects to make its first shipment to Rotterdam in December and has begun the process of exporting avocados to Japan.
The arrival would coincide with the European winter season, during which Chile , Morocco , Israel, Colombia , and Spain could reach significant volumes of Hass avocados. This convergence of origins is part of the commercial landscape that Honduras would face when it begins its shipments to Europe.
In his conversation with Avobook, Robleto mentioned that these advances are part of the commitment that summarizes the sector's ambition that "within five years, avocado will be the second largest export product nationally after coffee . "
