Early end to the season in Colombia due to adverse weather conditions
Due to the effects of El Niño, Colombia is experiencing high temperatures and decreased rainfall, which accelerates the fruit's ripening process and increases its dry matter content. Joel Pascual, representative of Cartama Europe, the leading avocado grower and exporter in Colombia, notes that this situation will lead to an earlier end to the Colombian season this year.
Initial expectations of increased avocado arrivals in Europe in March have been revised downwards, reducing the expected volume by half. Joel explains that February will mark the peak of abundant fruit arrivals in Europe.
Joel points to the convergence of religious celebrations in March, such as Ramadan and Easter, as a key factor influencing increased consumption and harvest capacity. This creates a unique situation of decreased supply and increased demand, affecting major players like Morocco, Israel, and Spain, as well as smaller producers such as Brazil and Tanzania.
Regarding the off-season flowering, Joel shares the good news that it's progressing substantially and is expected to arrive in Europe in April rather than May. This coincides conveniently with religious holidays, benefiting customers.
Cartama is celebrating its third consecutive year of supplying avocados to Europe year-round. The European office has experienced rapid growth and has established itself as the continent's leading recipient of Colombian avocados, supplying both distribution chains and premium importers throughout the year. The Colombian and European teams will present further details about the upcoming season at Fruit Logistica in Berlin.
