Avocado producers from Michoacan lost 2,120 million pesos and a little more than 35,467 tons in production during the strikes of 2016.
According to a report from the Association of Avocado Producers and Exporting Packers of Michoacan (APEAM), during the strike held from July 4 to 9 2016, producers were unable to harvest about 3,000 tons of avocados and lost earnings of at least 120 million pesos.
The producers were most affected by the strike held between September 28 and October 14, as they were unable to harvest 35,167 tons of avocados and had economic losses of nearly 1,000 million pesos (as the price of avocado stood at 30 pesos per kilogram). Meanwhile, the post-harvest value chain (packaging, transportation, etc.) failed to receive at least another 1,000 million pesos.
The report also states that this production crisis affected the reputation of Mexico, and especially of Michoacan, as US supermarkets acquired about 23 thousand tons from Chile.
Retail chains canceled the promotions they had already contracted with Avocados From Mexico; and as result the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) expedited the process to grant Colombian avocados access to the US market.
Source: Quadratin