The US Department of Agriculture recently released the 2022 China Fresh avocado Report, which shows that China's demand for high-quality fresh avocados continues to grow, and the production and import of avocados in China are expected to continue to increase. As consumers become more familiar with avocado and their health awareness is improved, the growth of avocado industry has been promoted. The largest consumer group is women under the age of 35 in first tier cities. Despite the impact of the COVID-19 on global shipping in 2021, China still imported more than 41000 tons of fresh avocados, approaching the highest import record of about 44000 tons in 2018.

Production of avocado in China

In addition to the increase of imported avocados, the output of domestic Hassi avocados also increased significantly. Some producers believe that the domestic production of fresh avocado may reach 20000 tons in the next five years, while others believe that domestic production is still in its infancy and is subject to competition among various land demands. The planting technology of fruit farmers has been improved to keep the size and taste of fruits consistent, and the quality of domestic avocados is constantly improving.

Haas avocado was planted in China about six years ago, mostly in Yunnan, and some local varieties were also planted in Hainan, Guangxi and Guangdong. The output of domestic Hassi avocado is expected to grow rapidly in the next few years.

As the climate is suitable for avocado growth, Yunnan has rapidly developed into the largest avocado producing area in China in recent years, with an estimated planting area of 4000 hectares. Menglian County, Pu'er has built the largest avocado planting base in China. The avocado planting scale has exceeded 50000 mu, the production area has exceeded 10000 mu, and the output has exceeded 4000 tons. Yunnan producers aim to double their output within three years, but it is still challenging to obtain suitable farmland at affordable prices. Water supply and investment in irrigation may also restrict the further expansion of planting area. Most avocado plantations in Yunnan are located in hills or mountains, so it is difficult to harvest and transport, and production costs (especially land and labor costs) are increasing. The growers said that the average production cost of avocado in Yunnan was 165-19500 yuan/ha.

Many avocado trees in Yunnan are planted on hillsides. The different altitudes lengthen the maturity of the fruits. The avocado harvest can start from late September to early March of the next year. Although private companies and research institutions are cultivating new avocado varieties for the local area, the main variety is still Haas. The fruit farmers said that the yield of avocado varies from 2.3 tons to 4.5 tons per hectare, and there is still room for improvement.

The application of post harvest technology in domestic avocado production is limited, and refrigeration is seldom used in transportation. Local dealers say that there is no ripening facility, avocados are naturally ripe or stored with bananas, which may lead to unstable quality and high loss rate.

Avocado imports from China (2017-2022)

Avocado imports

According to the data of China Customs, the import of avocado in China remained stable, with a slight increase of 3% from January to September 2022 compared with the same period last year, mainly from Peru and Chile. Peru is still the main supplier of avocado to China, followed by Mexico and Chile. Other countries (such as New Zealand, Colombia, the Philippines and the United States) are considered as new suppliers. With Kenya's access to the market, the competition in China's avocado market will become more intense.

In 2021, China imported more than 26000 tons of fresh avocados from Peru, accounting for 64% of the market share of imported avocados. From January to September 2022, China imported about 25611 tons of Peruvian avocados, an increase of 11% over the previous year. Peruvian avocados can be purchased from March to September.

In 2021, China imported nearly 13400 tons of avocado from Mexico and Chile, accounting for one third of the market share. Mexico was once China's largest supplier of avocados, but it is losing ground. Traders said that the creamy texture of Mexican avocado is stronger, but due to long-distance transportation, the loss rate is relatively high and the shelf life is short.

Kenya's fresh Hasi avocado won market access in China on June 1, 2022. Kenya is the largest avocado producer in Africa. The production season lasts from mid February to November, and about 40% of the output is used for export. In 2021, Kenya exported 84000 tons of avocados. Traders believe that Kenya may become a highly competitive producer of fresh avocado if the fruit quality is good and the price is reasonable. This summer, the first batch of avocados transported by air from Kenya arrived in Shanghai. It is reported that compared with the avocado in Peru, the avocado in Kenya is in good condition and the price is reasonable (about 8% to 15% lower).