For years, thousands of tons of avocados went to waste because they didn't meet strict export standards. Today, industrialization is emerging as a key alternative to utilize every fruit, generate added value, and build a more sustainable supply chain.

Avocado sustainability has become a central challenge for producers, industries, and consumers globally. Its growing demand, especially in international markets, necessitates a rethinking of practices to guarantee not only quality but also the responsible use of natural resources and an effective reduction of losses throughout the value chain. In this context, industrialization emerges as a strategic alternative that generates economic, environmental, and social benefits.

One of the main challenges in producing countries like Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, and Brazil is that domestic consumption of Hass avocados is often limited, in contrast to the local preference for native or green-skinned varieties. This means that a large portion of the harvested volume does not find a market in the domestic market.

According to Avocomex, of every 100 avocados harvested, between 75% and 95% meet the cosmetic and quality standards required by export markets, while the remainder—considered "discarded"—is sent to the processing industry. Far from representing a loss, this process transforms the fruit into frozen pulp, guacamole, IQF avocados, or oil, offering producers an additional return and preventing tons of fruit from going to waste. In this sense, processing supplements the farmer's income and acts as an engine of sustainability for the production chain.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has indicated that post-harvest losses in tropical fruits such as avocados are due to multiple factors: mechanical damage, fungi, inadequate cooling, and deficiencies in packaging or transport. To mitigate these losses, the FAO recommends implementing harvesting protocols based on maturity indicators such as dry matter—with a minimum of 22% in Hass avocados—applying immediate pre-cooling, and maintaining the cold chain throughout the logistics process. It also recommends using ventilated and resistant packaging that reduces physical damage to the fruit (FAO, Avocado: Post-Harvest Operations ).

Added to this is the need to valorize waste: seeds and peels can be used for the production of industrial ingredients, bioenergy or compost, integrating the concept of circular bioeconomy (FAO, Reducing food loss and valorizing fruits and residues , 2023).

In the area of social and environmental responsibility, the FAO, together with the OECD, has promoted due diligence guidance for agricultural supply chains, already applied in the avocado sector through the Responsible Fruits project . This methodology helps companies identify social, environmental, and governance risks in their supply chain, from efficient water management to the working conditions of rural workers (OECD-FAO, Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains ). For its part, Avocomex emphasizes that the establishment of processing plants in rural areas generates stable and diversified industrial employment, expanding opportunities for families who previously depended solely on agricultural work.

Another important aspect is packaging. The FAO emphasizes that packaging design directly impacts the level of global losses. In the case of processed avocados, in addition to recycled or recyclable packaging, many countries impose strict regulations to reduce toxic or polluting materials.

Avocomex points out that current avocado industrialization processes are highly environmentally friendly, without resorting to harmful techniques, and respond to the growing demands of international markets regarding sustainability.

In short, the industrialization of avocados not only prevents large volumes of fruit with no commercial value from ending up in waste, but also expands business opportunities for producers in countries with low domestic consumption, promotes the circular economy by adding value to by-products, boosts rural employment in processing plants, and meets global environmental responsibility standards.

As the FAO warns, the key is to integrate post-harvest efficiency, responsible packaging and due diligence throughout the chain, ensuring that every avocado, regardless of its destination, contributes to more sustainable and socially just production.