Argentina is becoming an attractive market for avocados, particularly for Chilean fruit, which only needs to cross the border to reach its final consumers. Although the figures are being analyzed cautiously, the growth curve suggests a promising scenario.

Francisco Contardo-Sfeir, president of the Chilean Hass Avocado Committee, tells Avobook that "if we compare the 2024-25 season with the 2023-24 season, the growth in exports to Argentina was around 25 percent."

There's another fact that keeps spirits high: this growth has been one hundred percent organic. That is, without any promotion to encourage consumption.

“Nobody is campaigning in Argentina. Not Chile, nor any other country. We have had some conversations with professionals from ProChile (the institution in charge of the international promotion of Chilean exports) in Argentina and with some recipients, to understand what is happening and how to take advantage of this opportunity,” Contardo commented in this conversation with Avobook.

– And what circumstances have helped in this growth?

“On the one hand, there’s the issue of disposable income, and on the other, Argentinians are placing greater emphasis on wellness . That caught my attention. Argentina had already been involved with these topics, but now it’s also shifted towards food, and avocados are becoming more integrated into the daily diet, with different ways of consuming them. Before, it was difficult to find avocados in a restaurant. Now you go and you can find them on the menu.”

– So, a more universal understanding of avocado as a superfood has helped

“We discussed this at the Latin American Avocado Congress in Peru: no one has campaigned in Argentina, so it's been more of an international phenomenon, so to speak, because there hasn't been any promotion on digital platforms either. The only thing that ever existed was something we did from Chile, 5 or 6 years ago, through a social media account, where we basically talked about nutritional aspects, trying to generate this love for this superfood. As an industry, we stopped focusing solely on Argentina and broadened our scope. But nothing like a campaign, no one has done anything like that.”

– What does that 25% growth mean in volume? How much is being exported to Argentina today?

“There’s a very interesting piece of data: from the start of the season in week 28 to week 50, comparing the 2025-2026 season with the 2024-2025 season shows a 48.1% increase in exports. And, if I compare the 2025-2026 season with the 2023-2024 season, there’s a 262% increase. The growth has been enormous, especially considering that it has a longer export window, basically because it’s our neighbor.”

– In addition, the work in the field can be managed, to ensure the fruit arrives in good condition to a growing market.

“Exactly. In a way, Argentina is to us what the United States is to Mexico.”

Could this mean that the volume of shipments to a particular market, such as the United States or Europe, will have to be reduced?

“Today, as of now, that cannot be predicted. What is clear is that, to date, there has been no replacement, given that this significant growth in Argentina is happening now. Furthermore, since it is a market to which fruit can be shipped from one day to the next, there is no replacement, nor is there less fruit on the domestic market. Europe is also being supplied normally, as are the United States and all other markets. We don't know if this will have an impact on other markets in the future, because we are only now experiencing this phenomenon.”

– How much is being exported to Argentina in tons?

“To date we have exported around 20,000 tons. And in the 2024-2025 season, during this same period, we have exported 13,500 tons.” There is significant progress, but it's a slow process. The volumes being exported to other markets are much larger.

– And what about prices? How do you ensure that the enthusiasm for sending fruit to Argentina doesn't affect the price by shipping more than the market can absorb?

“Currently, even if a market has higher demand, it doesn't automatically translate into higher prices. Our industry is quite organized, formal, and structured. Obviously, there may be some exceptions, but that's not the general rule. I've spoken with some receivers who tell me, 'You're so organized that you treat everyone the same.' And that's true: we treat everyone equally, regardless of the volume they buy. We see this as an opportunity for orderly growth, taking advantage of our wonderful reputation as Chilean fruit and avocados, where we adhere to the programs and aren't opportunistic in terms of creating price volatility.”

– Although there is no campaign currently underway, given the results, do you plan to take any action to consciously stimulate this growth more quickly?

“Yes, we are analyzing it. In fact, we are in talks with ProChile here and in Argentina to gather all the information that will help us decide whether to launch a campaign. We believe it could be very positive for our market and for Argentina.”