The event, organized by Corpohass, will be inaugurated on November 27 and is considered one of the main world meetings between producers, exporters, processors and other actors that make up the value chain of this sector.

• Agustín Zimmermann (FAO representative in Colombia) and Katheryn Mejía Vergel (executive director of Corpohass) will be in charge of its installation in Medellín.
• Since its first edition in 2018, this space quickly consolidated and today is one of the main events for discernment and international networking in the fruit industry.
• More than 3,000 visitors from 20 countries are expected to attend, participating in conferences, business meetings, exchanges of best practices, and trade shows.
• The avocado sector thus concludes a second semester in which it launched its country brand Avocados from Colombia internationally, with which it participated in the most important global scenarios, such as COP16, in which it presented one of the main success stories in sustainability of national agriculture.
• The Hass avocado is produced in 16 departments and more than 230 municipalities of the country, where it generates about 62,000 jobs and benefits approximately 240,000 families economically and socially.

The 2024 edition of Territorio Aguacate is also an opportunity to generate new business, foster innovation, and demonstrate the commitment of Colombian producers and exporters to the three pillars of sustainability: economic development, social responsibility, and environmental harmony. This sector exemplifies a successful business story for the agricultural world.

The AvoTours are one of the event's most popular activities. This tour allows attendees to experience firsthand the dynamics of Hass avocado production. Through this immersive experience, they will share in the importance of sustainability from the heart of Colombian avocados.

In addition, renowned speakers from Colombia, Chile, Kenya, Mexico, the Netherlands, and Peru will gather to discuss planting methods such as clonal planting, cost optimization, the effect of plant stress on productivity, biological control, and the perception of Latin American fruit in the United States and Europe, among other topics.

In our country, the 2024 edition of Territorio Aguacate presents a great opportunity for all stakeholders in the supply chain. Our nation is a strategic player that is gaining increasing market share, and the event will provide an opportunity to delve deeper into the commercial dynamics this entails.

Territorio Aguacate, in addition to being the perfect setting to achieve great business deals, offers opportunities to acquire knowledge through the Academic Congress and strengthen ties between all actors in the agro-industry.

A perfect ending to a year of international representation in exports and sustainability

“The large turnout for Territorio Aguacate adds to other initiatives that have positioned the Hass avocado sector as the epicenter of this agricultural activity in the various countries to which it is exported. It is very gratifying to know that, during the last six months, in the United States and Europe, we have been the center of attention and that we are increasingly gaining recognition and appreciation,” Mejía noted.

And in the second half of 2024, the agribusiness launched its country brand Avocados from Colombia in Antwerp, Belgium.

In October, during the annual Fruit Attraction trade fair in Madrid, Spain—a global event that has become a benchmark for the international fruit and vegetable trade—the Avocados from Colombia brand garnered significant interest from attendees. This participation proved crucial in opening new business opportunities and considerably increased the European market's awareness of the fruit's quality, characteristics, and production.

During the same month, Avocados from Colombia was present at the Global Produce & Floral Show in Atlanta, USA, by IFPA (International Fresh Produce Association), a recognized organization that promotes and defends the supply chains of fresh products, especially in the North American market.

There, attendees learned about several of the qualities and benefits of Hass avocados from Colombia, including the country's strategic location, as the fruit can reach the port of Miami in just three days and Philadelphia in five, reaffirming its attractiveness and competitiveness for the East Coast of North America. Atlanta was also an important venue for generating business opportunities in anticipation of the upcoming Super Bowl season, an event during which avocado consumption increases significantly in the USA.

Finally, during the recent UN Conference of the Parties, COP16, held in Cali, Corpohass was selected as one of the success stories of Colombian agriculture in terms of ecosystem conservation and protection. The case study, “Determination of the avifauna associated with native forests present in the agroecosystems of the Cartama Hass avocado project,” was presented. This experience was chosen using the STAR+ methodology of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), of which Cecodes is the Colombian chapter.

“Territorio Aguacate is the best way to demonstrate why our sector is an example of agricultural success worldwide. This concludes an internationalization strategy that is already bearing fruit,” Mejía pointed out.

Export figures continue to grow

According to the DIAN, during the period between January and September 2024, 102,376 tons of Hass avocado were exported, a figure that represents an increase of 15.77%, when compared to the same period in 2023.

Meanwhile, revenues reached approximately US$219 million, which is equivalent to a 42% growth compared to the previous year.

Analyzing only the month of September of the current year, exports reached 11,909 tons, compared to 6,539 tons in the same month in 2023, representing an increase of 82%.

Meanwhile, revenues generated reached approximately US$27 million, a figure that represents an increase of 178% compared to the same period of the previous year.

About Corpohass

Since 2013, Corpohass has been leading the way in sustainability for the Hass avocado agro-industry in Colombia. Today, it is an organization headquartered in Medellín, Antioquia, with several satellite offices serving members in more than 10 departments and 60 municipalities across the country.

Among the various sustainability initiatives undertaken by Corpohass for its members, the following stand out:

• Partnerships with Banco Agrario, Finagro, SENA, MinAgricultura and municipal mayoral offices to help producers comply with the certifications required by different international markets.
• Joint work with the Colombian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CECODES), the country chapter of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).
• Coordination of 8 phytosanitary committees with the ICA for the protection of the country's phytosanitary status.
• Promotion and creation of a culture of formalizing rural employment, through sustainable production chains.
• Training, from EduHass (learning school) producers and exporters are trained in sustainability, post-harvest and quality, certifications, leadership, and compensation.