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Urgent Access To More Avocado Export Markets Needed - Subtrop
Farmer's Weekly
|13 July 2018
A large avocado harvest means the industry needs to access more export markets to remain sustainable, according to the South African Subtropical Growers’ Association (Subtrop).
A large avocado harvest means the industry needs to access more export markets to remain sustainable, according to the South African Subtropical Growers’ Association (Subtrop).
Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, Subtrop chairperson Athol Currie said avocado harvesting was in full swing in areas such as Limpopo.
“We underestimated this year’s harvest. We initially thought [it would be] a 14,5 million-carton harvest, but it is more likely that 18 million cartons will be harvested. This is creating pressure on the market,” he said.
Marketers had reportedly requested producers to slow down their harvesting until the bottleneck had been cleared, which had developed in the European market in particular.
“All varieties seem to be affected. Not just green skin [varieties]. In the past, [these varieties] were under pressure, especially when there was a lot of Hass [avocados] on the market. We need to work hard to gain market access, as we are [currently] too ‘Eurocentric’.
This story is from the 13 July 2018 edition of Farmer's Weekly.
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