There appears to be a lot of potential for Colombian avocado production in the next few years. Representatives from the California Avocado Commission (CAC) recently visited the country to talk with growers in the area and learn more about the avocado industry in the country.
“It’s a growing industry. They’re about 15,000 acres smaller than the California industry right now; they have about 38,000 acres. Most of that’s very young trees not into production yet, so they have a lot of potential coming online and they’re planting a lot of trees every year,” said Tim Spann, Research Program Director for CAC. “They’ve got their target set on exceeding Mexico.”
Perfect Conditions and Location
The amount of land available in Colombia, along with the climate makes for ideal conditions for avocado production. Growers in the region told the group from CAC that they essentially have two production peaks, but they can produce avocados 11 months out of the year. “There’s a lot of coffee plantations that are switching over to avocados simply because of the avocado boom that’s been going on in the world,” said Spann.
Colombian avocado production could make a noticeable impact on world markets once the young trees come online. Spann highlighted the geographical location of the country provides access to ports in both the Pacific Ocean as well as the Caribbean Sea. That type of access will allow producers to ship products to Asia, Europe, and North American with ease.
“They have been involved in other industries like the cut-flower industry that they’ve become the world leader in. So, they definitely have the experience and the knowledge in agriculture to dominate an industry if they put their mind to it,” Spann noted. “With the recent political stabilization of the country, I think they have a lot of potential. Give them 10-20 years and they’re going to be a force to contend with.”
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