Avocado harvest falls by up to 50% during Holy Week in Peru, Mexico and Colombia
Holy Week once again brought a significant pause to agricultural activities in Latin America, notably impacting the avocado harvest and exports. While each country experienced this effect differently, the common denominator was a reduction in harvest volumes and a logistical strategy focused on mitigating the impact on international markets.
Harvest reduction: between 25% and 50%
In Peru, Alfredo Lira, a prominent executive in the agribusiness sector, noted that the religious holiday reduced activity by 25% to 30% compared to a normal week. “The usual practice is to work half a day on Thursday and no work on Friday, returning on Saturday for another half day. Therefore, the reduction is between 25% and 30% of the estimated harvest,” he explained. However, he emphasized that this decrease was less than the previous year, since “the dry matter content is slow and there is less ripe fruit.”Meanwhile, Mexico experienced an even more pronounced contraction. Antonio Villaseñor, director of Aztecavo, reported that the harvest was limited to three days, resulting in a 50% drop in harvested volumes. Even so, “shipments only fell by 25% because there were inventories harvested the week before Easter,” he commented.
In Colombia, the pattern was similar. Ricardo Mejías, general manager of Fruty Green, indicated that operations cease on Thursdays and Fridays, which naturally lowers volumes. “Compared to last year, in the case of Fruty Green, we were slightly above the expected volume because we received a bit more fruit, but in general terms, I know that the fruit in Colombia is a little behind in terms of dryness,” he explained.
Faced with dwindling fruit availability, exporters adjusted their strategies to prioritize the most profitable and stable markets. From Peru, Lira explained that they opted to ship fruit to Europe: “The EU was prioritized because prices remain high, especially for the larger sizes, which are the first to sell. Furthermore, given the uncertainty surrounding US tariffs, it's better to play it safe.”
In contrast, Mexico maintained its primary focus on the United States. Villaseñor was emphatic: “The most important market is always the US; the others are really not significant for Mexico.” This year, between April 13 and 19, 12,958 tons were harvested, compared to almost 19,000 tons during the same period in 2023.
Sergio Paz, general manager of Coliman Avocados, added that Mexico managed to export 737 shipments to the U.S. during week 16, thanks to proactive inventory management. “Exporters were harvesting moderate volumes over the three days, without any panicked demand to fill orders,” he said. Paz also noted that logistics plans were executed smoothly, although he cautioned that demand the following week was “moderate to low,” and that “prices are trending downward and this trend should not change until exporters receive new orders.”
In Colombia, Mejías indicated that while destinations may vary, the current trend points to a strong concentration on the US market. “The industry will shift in the coming weeks to 70-80% US exports,” he stated.
Holy Week presents a predictable but significant challenge for the avocado industry each year. Harvesting, storage, and distribution decisions require precise planning to avoid losses and maintain price stability in key markets. While some countries manage to offset the drop in demand with pre-existing inventories or strategic shipments, others are still adjusting their logistics in response to the ripening cycles and global demand.
