Peruvian avocado industry responds to pandemic; prepares exports

Overview of the peruvian avocado exports to the U.S. market, complemented by charts from Agronometrics. Original published on May 5, 2020.

Peruvian avocado exporters plan to ship up to 190 million pounds of fruit to the U.S. this season, and the industry is taking steps to protect workers to ensure a steady supply.

The Peruvian government is working with industries to ensure safety regulations are followed, and crops are handled according to mandated sanitary procedures, according to a news release from the Peruvian Avocado Commission.

“Although there were early disruptions to the international market and domestic operations, the impact on the industry’s exports has not been significant,” Jose Antonio Castro, chairman of the commission, said in the release. “Initially there was a slight slowdown in exports, but this was mostly due to market uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, and to industry learning how best to implement new safety practices.”

This year’s exports to the U.S. is expected to increase 5%, with much of the imported avocados going to the Midwest and East Coast.

Avocados From Peru, which markets the fruit in the U.S., has a strategies that retailers can implement through traditional and new media, including tagged TV ads on NBC, Hulu and Sling. Ads on buses in major cities, instant rebates, in-store merchandising, social media strategies and assistance with fliers and home deliveries are all planned, according to the release.

“The carefully curated programs are all aimed at assisting retailers during these challenging times,” according to the release.

The Peruvian government has instituted a slate of programs to response to the pandemic, including a stimulus package that equals about 12% of the countries gross domestic product, according to the release.

Peruvian Avocado Commission President Xavier Equihua said the measures have been “nothing short of exceptional” in the release.

“In the same vein, AFP is committed to assisting the heroes across the supply chain in any way possible, and providing healthy food options like Peruvian avocados to customers,” he said in the release.

The News in Charts is a collection of stories from the industry complemented by charts from Agronometrics to help better tell their story.

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