Agronometrics Shorts: Chilean Avocado Production Rebounds After a Challenging 2022/23 Season

In the 2023/24 season, the USDA forecasts a surge in Chilean avocado production, reaching an estimated 200,000 metric tons (MT). This denotes a noteworthy 21.2% increase compared to the 2022/23 season. This upswing in production can be attributed to favorable climatic conditions and abundant winter rainfall. The total planted area is anticipated to total 32,710 hectares, indicating a modest one percent increase compared to 2022/23. Projections for exports stand at 110,000 MT, reflecting a substantial 24.4% increase over the preceding marketing year, principally driven by the surge in production volumes. Conversely, imports are poised to decline by 14.1%, aggregating to 65,000 MT. This about- turn follows a challenging 2022/23 season which was impacted by spring frosts, concluding with a production figure of 155,000 tons. This represented a 30% year-on-year decrease compared to the 2021/22 harvest which totaled 220,000 tons. The geographical expanse of avocado cultivation in Chile spans from the Coquimbo region in the north to the O’Higgins region in the central-south. The Valparaiso region emerges as the primary hub for avocado production, commanding 62.7% of the total planted area with 20,318 hectares. Other significant contributors include the Metropolitan, Coquimbo, and O’Higgins regions. Over the past three marketing years, the planted area for avocados has expanded in all regions except the Metropolitana region, which experienced a 5.9% reduction due to competition from cherries, walnuts, citrus, and olives, emerging as economically viable alternatives.

Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.

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Written by Sarah Ilyas