Chilean Avocado Committee at Avocado Territory 2023: “Today we are an example for the rest of the producers in sustainability”
More than 130 companies from 15 countries participated in the fifth edition of Territorio Aguacate, an event held in Medellín, Colombia. The main Chilean exhibitor was the Chilean Avocado Committee, which presented its experience in the sustainable production of Hass avocados.
The committee's executive director, Francisco Contardo Sfeir, highlighted the high penetration of drip irrigation in Chile, which has allowed for a reduction in water consumption for avocado production. Currently, around 400 liters of water are required per kilogram, placing Chilean avocados well below other crops in terms of water usage.
Contardo also highlighted the work the Committee has carried out with the Regional Water Center for Arid and Semi-Arid Zones of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAZALAC-UNESCO). The study “State of the Art Environmental Impact of Persea americana Mill Plantations in Chile” concluded that avocado cultivation in Chile is beneficial for biodiversity, moisture conservation, soil erosion prevention, and social development.
The Chilean Avocado Committee is working on implementing production standards that consider a triple bottom line: environmental, social, and economic. The goal is for the Chilean avocado industry to become a global example of sustainability.
For many countries, Chile is a role model. in the sustainable production of Hass avocados. The Chilean Avocado Committee is working to make the Chilean avocado industry even more sustainable in the future.
