Veracruz could export avocados to Europe if producers manage to get the right conditions and make a decision about the quality they want, the volume to be exported and their capacity.
Engineer Carlos Nolasco Vázquez, president of the State Council of Avocado Producers in Veracruz, said that, as members of the National Confederation of Rural Producers (CNPR), they were invited to attend a talk with the Spanish Association Águila Real, which is interested in exporting Veracruz-grown avocados to Spain.
He said that the state's avocado production takes place in a total of 1,500 hectares, with most plantations being new. These crops yield about 600 tonnes of avocados per year.
Nolasco affirms that the production of avocados is on the rise in Veracruz, as new plantations will become productive after four years and reach some stability at seven.
He said that the price of a kilo of avocados currently stands at between 25 and 27 pesos per kilo at the wholesale, which is why the avocados grown there may someday be shipped to Europe. The first talks have been carried out without any agreement. It will be essential to see what the contracts will be like, to learn about the prices set for the product, and about the quality and volume, which will still take some time.
For his part, Carlos Nolasco explained that avocado cultivation requires a lot of attention and care, as the crops should be at a height of between 1,000 and 2,000 metres above sea level and be in relatively moist areas. With sufficient drainage to avoid excessive moisture.
Lastly, he said that this year they've had a low production due to excess rain water, causing a lot of moisture and, in turn, affecting the avocados.
Source: proyecto13.com