A report from the Colombian Hass Avocado Producers and Exporters Corporation (CorpoHass) shows that this agribusiness represents a 1.5% contribution to GDP, with over 32,000 hectares planted with Hass avocados.

According to data collected during the first quarter (January – March) of 2024 by the Corporation of Hass Avocado Producers and Exporters of Colombia (CorpoHass), the contribution of the marketing of this fruit to the country's Gross Domestic Product increased by 150%, participating with 1.5% of that indicator.

This has allowed the avocado industry to provide 61,063 direct and indirect jobs across 224 municipalities in the 16 departments that produce Hass avocados for export. The figures also show the growth in this agribusiness's contribution to GDP since 2015, when it represented only 0.1%.

Between January and March 2024, Colombia exported 39,045 tons of avocados, representing a trade transaction exceeding $78 million. This projection is significant considering that between January and December 2023, 114,535 tons were exported, a year in which this origin saw a 16.9% increase compared to 2022, rising from a transaction valued at $178 million to $200 million.

In Colombia there are 3,534 registered properties with avocado planting, totaling 32,164 hectares, where the main production places are Antioquia (12,000 hectares), Caldas (6,956 hectares), Valle del Cauca (4,966 hectares) and Tolima (1,669 hectares), according to the CorpoHass report, citing data from the Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA).

Since 2021, Colombia has not fallen below 3,000 avocado production farms and has always shown an increase, from the 549 it registered in 2015 to almost 3,600 in 2023.

Regarding the type of owner in charge of the crops, 12,538 hectares are in the hands of individuals, and 19,594 are under the management of companies. Specifically, an individual engaged in avocado production in Colombia cultivates an average of 4 hectares, while a company cultivates an average of 39.2 hectares.

The main export markets for Colombian avocados are Europe and the United States. In 2023, shipments totaled 97,883 tons, while between January and March 2024, 35,258 tons were shipped. Within the US market, the most significant destinations have been the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Spain, Belgium, France, and Germany.

In 2023, Colombia was the second largest supplier of avocados to Europe, with an 11.6% market share, behind Peru (44.4%) and ahead of Chile (8.8%). In the first quarter of this year, it ranked third with 18%, behind Israel (29%) and Spain (20%).

In the case of shipments to the United States, 13,252 tons were totaled in 2023; and 3,106 tons were reached in the first quarter of 2024.