Market Intelligence November 2011 to January 2012

Tuesday 24 Jan 2012

• Dec 2011: Indonesia confirms entry into AANZFTA
  
• US: Emiliano Escobedo as HAB’s new executive director
  
• US (CA): California avocados poised for a big 2012
  
• US: Hass Avocado Board promotes avocados for the big game
  
• US (FL): Florida avocados finish above forecast
  
• US - Avocado supplies to make comeback in 2012
  
• International Paper and West Pak Avocado Inc. team to create vertically integrated packaging solutions for both companies
  
• Peru: 30% rise in avocado hass exports in 2012
  
• Peru: Agroideas to finance the adoption of technology for hass avocado
  
• Peru is world's seventh largest avocado producer
  
• Peru could be world's biggest avocado exporter in 8 years
  
• Annual Report Chile
  
• Competition or cooperation? Peru and Chile avocado partners that complement each other
  
• Award-winning chefs team up with Avocados from Mexico
  
• Mexico: Cold could affect Michoacán avocado
  
• Panama: Climate changes affect avocado flowering
  
• Kenya: Hope for avocado as country sets wasps on fruit flies
  
  

Dec 2011: Indonesia confirms entry into AANZFTA

Indonesia has now formally ratified the Agreement establishing an ASEAN-Australia-NewZealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA). A significant development, this will come into effect from January 10, 2012. By 2015, New Zealand exporters will receive tariff-free treatment in Indonesia on more than 90 percent of tariff items, compared with only 11 percent now. By 2021, 99 percent of trade (by volume) will be tariff-free. Indonesia is the largest economy in South East Asia, accounting for over one third of ASEAN’s GDP, and is expected to be one of the world’s top five economies by 2030.

US: Emiliano Escobedo as HAB’s new executive director

After an extensive search, the Hass Avocado Board (HAB), which conducts generic avocado marketing for foreign and domestic suppliers, has announced the appointment of Emiliano Escobedo as HAB’s new executive director. He will join HAB on January 16, 2012. Escobedo replaces Jose Luis Obregon, who provided leadership for more than six years. Obregon resigned in October to become a partner in his family’s business.

“We are pleased to announce the appointment of Emiliano Escobedo as the new executive director of HAB,” said Jimmy Lotufo, chairman of HAB and Senior Sourcing Representative at Rosemont Farms, a C.H. Robinson company. “With his produce industry background and experience, specifically related to avocados, we are confident that he is the right person to lead and advance the strategic priorities that will ensure HAB’s leadership position within the industry.”

As executive director, Escobedo will work closely with all member organizations and the board to achieve HAB’s overall goal of building demand for the more than 1.4 billion pounds of Hass avocados in the U.S. marketplace. He will be responsible for oversight of the strategic direction, operations and management of HAB, as well as the ongoing development and implementation of its research and marketing programs.

“I am honored to accept the position of executive director of the Hass Avocado Board,” said Escobedo. “I look forward to working with stakeholders around the world and move forward strategic priorities that will continue to build demand for Hass avocados while positioning the category as a leader in produce.”

Escobedo most recently served as the Director of Global Marketing and U.S. Operations for the Avocado Producers and Exporting Packers Association of Michoacán (APEAM), the largest avocado producer and exporter association in the world, which represents avocados from Mexico. He began working at APEAM in 2005 as an industry representative and marketing strategist. He held the position for three years before being promoted to marketing director.

“The Chilean Avocado Importers Association (CAIA) congratulates Emiliano in his new position as executive director of the Hass Avocado Board and wishes him the best of luck in his new venture,” said Jorge Covarrubias, Chairman of the Chilean Avocado Importers Association. “CAIA is looking forward to working with him and the HAB directorship in making the Hass Avocado Promotion, Research and Information Order (HAPRIO) a fair and equitable program for the stakeholders of the program.”

“We’re excited for Emiliano,” said Adrian Iturbide, Chairman of the Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association. “He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in marketing and promoting avocados to the Hass Avocado Board and has proven himself to be a diehard advocate for this important commodity. The entire avocado industry will benefit from this move.”

“On behalf of the California Avocado Commission, I would like to welcome Emiliano to the Hass Avocado Board,” said Ed McFadden, Chairman of the California Avocado Commission. “We look forward to working with him to both continue and strengthen the strong relationship that has benefited our organizations. Emiliano’s unique background and experience will certainly help enable our industry to move forward together as we work towards our shared strategic priorities.”

“The Peruvian Avocado Commission (PAC) congratulates both the Hass Avocado Board (HAB) and Emiliano Escobedo,” said PAC Chairman Enrique Camet. “We know it's been a long search to find the right person to fill the position of executive director of the HAB and we are certain that it will be a good match for the category because of Emiliano’s excellent skills and experience gained from working for the Mexican Hass avocado industry. The PAC is looking forward to working with the directors of the HAB and its new executive director in advancing the strategic priorities under discussion and further making the HAB a clearinghouse network of information, data and research for the HAPRIO associations.”

In October 2010, Escobedo was named by The Packer as one of 25 leaders in the fresh produce industry. He is tri-lingual, speaking English, Spanish and French, graduated summa cum laude from the University of Florida in 2003 and currently lives in Southern California with his family.

Contact:
Jillian McMenamin
GolinHarris
t + 1 213-438-8834
f + 1 213-895-4745
Email: jmcmenamin@golinharris.com

US (CA): California avocados poised for a big 2012

Good rainfall in 2011 is one of the factors contributing to a strong 2012 projection for the California avocado season. With the big part of the season still a few months away, growers are anticipating volumes larger than last year's.

“Last year, we had a small crop,” says J.R. McDaniel of McDaniel Fruit.

“California produced 300 million pounds of avocados in 2011, but we're expecting a larger crop this year.”

Early projections for 2012 production in California are between 340 million and 400 million pounds. That would represent an increase from 2011, and would likely affect the market price in the upcoming year.

“Prices will almost certainly be lower than last year,” says Phil Henry of the Henry Avocado Corporation.

“There were smaller crops in the US and Mexico last year, but that's not the case for 2012,” he says, “so it's almost a sure thing prices will be lower.”

Though McDaniel thinks it's tough to predict prices so early in the season, he agrees prices will not be as high as they were last year.

“Prices will be at a reasonable level,” he says. “We're not going to see the $6 per box prices of 2011.”

Though the release date for Hass avocados, the date after which growers can harvest the fruit, passed a few days ago, very little harvesting is currently taking place.

Henry says the only reason to harvest right now would be to clear trees.

“We're doing very little harvesting, mostly for maintenance,” adds McDaniel.

“We're letting the fruit size up right now,” he says, “and it will probably be four to six weeks before we start harvesting. So it will be about late-February or early-March, and then we should have plenty of avocados, a good supply.”

Publication date: 1/20/2012
Author: Carlos Nunez
Copyright: www.freshplaza.com

US: Hass Avocado Board promotes avocados for the big game

Each year, Big Game is one of the largest consumption occasions of the year for Hass avocados, and this year is no exception. The Hass Avocado Board (HAB) is estimating that 71.4 million pounds of fruit will be consumed by fans during this year’s Big Game festivities. To further encourage consumer purchases of avocados during this key sales period, HAB is implementing a multi-platform marketing campaign that highlights how Hass avocados can be incorporated into Big Game party menus.

“With more than 71 million pounds of avocados expected to be consumed during game time this year, the Big Game provides a great opportunity for retailers to build higher basket rings by displaying avocados with complementary produce,” said Jimmy Lotufo, chairman of HAB. “Guacamole has become a staple at Big Game parties, and HAB helps encourage even stronger avocado demand by offering consumers produce-rich recipes and creative usage ideas.”

To further support the tie between Hass avocados and the Big Game, this year, HAB is sponsoring the Taste of the NFL®. Since 1992, the Taste of the NFL® has attracted the country’s top chefs and football’s greatest talent to raise money in support of food banks throughout the United States. The efforts culminate on the eve of the Big Game at Party with a Purpose®, an annual wine and food event featuring a chef from each NFL® city serving their signature dish alongside a current or alumni NFL® player. HAB will be working directly with Atlanta-based chef Kevin Rathbun to feature a Duck Tostada with Hass Avocados and Pasilla Chile Sauce for the philanthropic event. Rathbun is an award-winning and notable American chef of restaurants Rathbun’s®, Krog Bar® and Kevin Rathbun Steak®.

HAB’s Big Game program includes extensive online and social media outreach, including a micro site, Sports.AvocadoCentral.com, which will serve as a resource for consumers planning their Big Game parties. The site will feature game day entertaining tips and two new recipes, including Spiced Won Tons with Hass Avocado Dipping Sauce and produce-rich Tropical Salsa Guacamole, as well as other recipes that are perfect for Big Game parties. Consumers also will have the opportunity to share their recipes on popular social networking sites or via email, as well as save their favorite recipes in one location in their personal “recipe playbook.” Traffic will be driven to the site through online and social media advertising, inclusion in HAB’s subscriber e-newsletter and via a social media promotion with the theme, “Build Your Big Game Party with Hass Avocados.” HAB’s Facebook® and Twitter® pages will feature trivia games where fans can win an avocado cutter. Social media games, recipe contests and creative avocado usage ideas have helped build HAB’s Facebook® page to more than 40,000 Hass avocado fans.

US (FL): Florida avocados finish above forecast

The Florida avocado season has just about wrapped up, and final production numbers for the state are anticipated to be above initial projections.

Industry-wide production was forecast at 1.1 million bushels, but current reports have production at 1.18 million bushels, with another 20,000 bushels anticipated to come in. The resulting 1.2 million bushels would put production at 10% above the forecast. “It has been a very good season,” says Mary Ostlund, Director of Marketing for Brooks Tropicals. “We've had a record crop year, and volumes are up to levels we had before Hurricane Andrew,” she adds. A lot of that volume has come from new growth that was planted in the wake of the Hurricane. “It's been a steady climb back to pre-Andrew volumes,” she notes, “it's getting back up there.”

Publication date: 1/10/2012

US - Avocado supplies to make comeback in 2012

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - After a season of tight supplies and high prices, avocado supplies in the U.S. are poised to make a comeback in 2012, according to a USDA report.

Larger crops from California as well as trading partners Mexico and Chile are expected after all of those regions produced lighter crops last year.
At 253 million pounds, California - the nation's chief supplier of domestic avocados - saw a 54 percent decline in production in 2010-2011 from the previous season's bumper harvest, noted the Fruit and Tree Nuts Outlook published Nov. 29 by the USDA's Economic Research Service.

Coming off the third smallest crop in the past three decades, this will be an "on year" for the Golden State's avocados, whose harvest is expected to begin in April, the report stated.

"Looking ahead next year to the 2012 crop, we see a more normal crop volume - around 400 million pounds," Jan DeLyser, vice president of marketing for the California Avocado Commission, said.

The Hass Avocado Board is predicting a total production of 1.4 billion pounds in 2012 from California, Mexico and Chile, which would be an improvement from the 1.2 billion pounds produced this past season, DeLyser said.

Nearly 5,000 farmers in California grow avocados, many at the southern end of the state. Spring to fall marks avocado season in the state, which produces 90 percent of the nation's avocado crop.

The biggest events for avocado sales include Cinco de Mayo, in which Americans consume as many as 70 million pounds of the fruit, and the Super Bowl, for which another 70 million pounds is consumed.

The industry has mostly recovered from Southern California wildfires in 2009 that affected orchards, DeLyser said. Likewise, Chile's avocados are expected to make a comeback despite a recent freeze, the USDA report said.

Barring losses from weather, the coming year's anticipated larger crops should provide ample supplies for retailers to promote avocados, whose abundance should push down prices, the report stated.

The Avocado Commission has seen positive trends in demand, fed by the consistent availability of a year-round supply and education about the fruit's versatility and nutritional value, DeLyser said.
Avocados can be eaten alone or used as ingredients for meals, snacks and even desserts, she said.

"I think all of those are really, really positive impacts," she said.

Online California Avocado Commission: http://www.avocado.org/
Hass Avocado Board: http://www.avocadocentral.com/

S (CA): California avocado volume down in 2011

After a 2010 which saw California avocado growers produce their 4th largest crop, the volume of California avocados was down in 2011. Output from the 2011 crop was 300 million lbs, a significant decrease from the 540 million lbs which were grown in California during the 2010 season.

The drop in production translated into a dip in consumption.

“The aggregate avocado volume in the US market was slightly down from the previous year,” says Jan Delyser of the California Avocado Commission.

“In 2011, it was 1.2 billion lbs, and the year before it was around 1.3 billion lbs.”

The tight supply also resulted in higher prices than in previous years. According to USDA Agricultural Marketing Service data, FOB shipping-point prices for South District California Hass avocados in 32 and 36 sizes were about $45 per 2-layer carton in March, 2011. The price for similar fruit in March, 2010 was $27 per 2-layer carton.

However, Delyser notes that there are new plantings in the form of new acreage and higher density plantings on existing acreage.

Additionally, the latest Fruit and Tree Nuts Outlook from the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) anticipates a larger California crop in 2012.

With a boost in production, the California Avocado Commission projects a boost in US consumption. Their aggregate projection for 2012 US consumption is 1.4 billion lbs.

Publication date: 12/9/2011
Author: Carlos Nunez
Copyright: www.freshplaza.com


International Paper and West Pak Avocado Inc. team to create vertically integrated packaging solutions for both companies

By Press Release | December 21, 2011
MEMPHIS, TN -- International Paper and West Pak Avocado Inc. have teamed to produce an innovative box design that is a win-win for both companies. West Pak Avocado wanted to redesign its box and brand, and it looked to International Paper to help create a new box that would stand above the rest.
"Our goal was to provide our customer with a new box style that was stronger and more efficient than current packaging, while also meeting the needs of the marketplace in terms of visual appeal and handling," said Ed Arriaga, International Paper field sales manager.

After many versions, the final box design has  increased board strength and added airflow, allowing for increased stability when shipping as well as strength to meet and exceed quality expectations during West Pak's JustRipe! process. In addition, the new avocado carton has a more-modern display element, transitioning from a 15-year-old branding design to an ultra-modern design.

"We tested the container's longevity in the cooler, long-distance shipping properties and its strength in the ripening process," said Trevor Newhouse, information technology and marketing director, West Pak Avocado. "Customers will find that their avocado shipments will be arriving even more efficiently than ever before."

This new design was made to be versatile across multiple markets, including California, Mexico, Chile and eventually Peru. With the ever-growing concern of traceability, West Pak has standardized its box, branding and produce-traceability initiatives to all major growing areas.

"In just one design, we have been able to help our customer vertically integrate their product," Mr. Arriaga said. "They will now be more competitive in the market and deliver the best results for their customers as well."

Peru: 30% rise in avocado hass exports in 2012

"In 2012 we will export around 90,000 TM of Hass avocado, affirmed Arturo Medina, president of Prohass. This represents a 30% growth regarding last year, when numbers reached the 69,000 TM.

Medina explained that he can't say the value of what it will be exported, since the price is imposed by the market. "Last year was good in returns. It's difficult to know if we can get the same price as we have bigger volumes this year", he said.

Regarding the North-American market for Peruvian fruit, Medina commented that, last year they exported as soon as the campaign ended, meaning by August, and they reached 436 containers.

"In 2012 we will enter between April and May, but we're not sure about the market's reaction", he explained. It's estimated that 50% of the 90,000 TM, equivalent to 2,000 containers, will be sent to the US.

Likewise, the president of Prohass considered that the main challenge is to compete with the Californian fruit.

Source: agraria.pe


Peru: Agroideas to finance the adoption of technology for hass avocado

The Program of Competitiveness Compensations (Agroideas) from the Ministry of Agriculture (Minag) will deliver S/.489,040 to the Association of Agroindustrial Producers Siguas Majes - PRASIMEX, to adopt technology and encourage the production of avocado Hass, as pointed by Otilia Caro, responsible at Agroideas.

According to her, the incentive is equivalent to 70% of the implementation of the business plan, allowing an economic progress for associates, improving the profit trough the reconversion of 33 hectares of alfalfa and corn by Hass avocado.

According to the exposed, the objective is to reach a productivity of 18,000 tons per hectare by the sixth year of settlement. Bringing to PRASIMEX a standard product with an exportable quality, trough applying good agricultural practices like fertilization, prunes and plague control.

Even so, she sustains that the adoption of new technologies will allow to count on a better availability of avocado plants, guarded by eucalyptus to grow, watering bands, harvesting baskets and fertilizers.

"Thanks to the support, the association will receive also the technical assistance and the chance to have probatory periods in Chincha and Ica, cities where there are cases of success in the cultivation of Hass avocado", she concluded.

Source: agraria.pe Publication date: 1/12/2012

Peru is world's seventh largest avocado producer

Peru is the seventh largest producer of avocado in the world, accounting for 4 percent of global production, Peru's Foreign Trade Society (ComexPerú) has announced. ComexPerú said that domestic production has been fuelled by increasing exports, which would help the country continue to improve in the ranking. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Mexico is the largest producer of avocados in the world with 1.23 million tons in 2009, representing 32 percent of global production.

It was followed by Chile (9 percent), the United States (7%) and Indonesia (7%).

Peru’s Ministry of Agriculture (Minag) reported that domestic production of avocado totaled 184,370 metric tons (mt) in 2010, a 17 percent increase compared to 2009. The department of Lima stood out as the leading producer with 25 percent of the total. Other major producers are La Libertad (21% of total), Junin (15%) and Ica (15%).

Source: andina.com.pe
Publication date: 12/6/2011

Peru could be world's biggest avocado exporter in 8 years

On Thursday Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) said the country would become the world’s largest exporter of avocados in eight to ten years. "[Avocado exports] have been growing and we will be the world’s number one avocado exporter in eight or ten years," said Jose Luis Silva, Minister of Foreign Trade, according to El Comercio.

He said the country was seeing significant increases in avocado production and quality. Silva added that Peru’s avocado exports had been one of Mexico’s main concerns when approving the Free Trade Agreement earlier this month. "In Mexico there is great fear form Mexican farmers, but they don’t have anything to fear because we produce avocado at different times […]” Silva said avocados were one of Peru’s many non-traditional exports that had been increasing in the past few years.

Source: peruthisweek.com Publication date: 1/2/2012

Peru develops avocado cultivar that bears fruit in adverse conditions

Peru has adapted a Hass avocado variety that can produce high yields and quality fruit in tough soil conditions, the Ministry of Agriculture (MINAG) has announced.The Duke 7 variety The National Institute for Agrarian Innovation (INIA) used clonal technology on the Duke 7 cultivar to produce an early grafting rootstock which can overcome problems of salinity, high carbonate levels and fungi. INIA director general Enrique La Hoz, said the development would help small producers grow avocadoes which met international export standards.
He said the country’s soaring exports were due to a 260% increase in cultivated land with more than 25,000 hectares devoted to avocado plantations. INIA fruit specialist Juan Loayza, said the Institute had also managed to discover the best time for harvesting Hass avocadoes. “We have determined when to start harvesting by analyzing the proportions of moisture and oil contained in the pulp of the avocado,” he said. Loayza said that for exporting it was crucial to know the extent of ripeness and ship fruit before it had reached full maturity. MINAG said the technology could be applied to all avocado-producing areas in the country.

Annual Report Chile
Both production and exports of avocados are expected to fall this harvest season, due to adverse weather conditions combined with the alternate bearing effect and a severe drought which is affecting the main production area. Chilean avocado production is expected to fall again during the present 2011/12 production season compared to last season. Adverse weather conditions, alternate bearing effect in some production areas and a severe drought affecting a large part of the production region are responsible for the significant fall in production and exports for this season. For the 2012/13 season a significant number of orchards are entering their productive stage or are at their incremental stage of production, so the output is forecasted to increase again, despite a fall in total planted area.

Production:
Production in 2010/2011 fell again when compared to the 2009/2010 season because cold and freezing weather together with alternate bearing (fruit stress) affected total production. Exports and domestic consumption fell accordingly. For the present 2011/12 season production is expected to fall further as a result of a severe drought which is affecting the Aconcagua Region particularly the Cabildo valley. Many producers have lost their orchards completely, industry sources indicated that over 2,000 Ha are being affected. The industry in Chile follows the production season that goes from July to June.

Most Chilean avocados are produced in arid regions with little rain, except during the winter months, consequently most orchards are frequently free of pests and spraying is minimal or not necessary.

Production area has expanded during the last few years. Increases in planted land have been almost exclusively devoted to the Hass variety, which represents over 80 percent of total production and almost 100 percent of total exports (99.8% in CY2010).

Planted Area:
Avocado plantings had been expanding at a slower rate during the last few years when compared to the past, as prices have leveled off and returns have fallen due to a continuous revaluation of the peso against the dollar. Increasing costs expenditures which are in pesos and sales are in dollars, have reduced margins considerably. Additionally, over the last two years, the total planted area has fallen as much as 2,000 Ha and will probably fall another few hectares during the coming year, as an extensive area in the Aconcagua Region is being affected by the worst drought ever in a productive valley in Chile. The Industry sources added that together with the uprooting of old non productive orchards and the orchards affected by the drought, total planted area could probably be reduced another 1,000 Ha, totaling as much as 3,000 hectares in total.

A little over 98 percent of all Chilean commercial avocado trees are planted in the central area of the country - from Region IV through Region VI. Almost all the planting expansion has been of the Hass variety in the last decade, there are over 20 other varieties planted in Chile. Out of the total planted area in Chile around 30,000 has are planted to the Hass avocado variety which represents almost 100 percent of total exports.

Consumption:
In Chile during the last few years domestic avocado consumption is becoming an interesting alternative for producers mainly due to increasing production costs and the continuous devaluation of the dollar against the Chilean peso which reduces economic returns to producers. Domestic prices obtained by producers often are similar or higher than prices obtained for exports. As a result a large number of producers are favoring the less risky domestic market.

Competition or cooperation?
Peru and Chile avocado partners that complement each other

According to Rafael Quevedo, former Minister of Agriculture in Peru, the total acreage of avocados in Peru will go from 9800 ha (2010) to 12,000 ha in 2013 "In the future, the avocado industry will compete and cooperate at the same time, but between Chile and Peru, given the complementary harvest times, we have the unique opportunity to cooperate for mutual benefit," said Rafael Quevedo Flores, General Manager of Avo Peru and Hass Peru, in regards to the relationship between the Peruvian and Chilean industry of avocado in the world market.

Peruvian avocado continues to grow in 2012

Also, the former agriculture minister, in a report presented by the magazine Redagrícola, pointed out that the Peruvian avocado production in 2012, projects a growth from north to south, starting in Lambayeque, passing by Ica, Nazca to Arequipa. Having Chavimochic, Ancash, Lima, Cañete and Chincha as buffer zones.

In that sense, Quevedo said the previous strategy responds to an expansion plan outlined by the companies Avo Peru and Hass Peru, that have projected for next year to, "increase their planted area by around 1,100 hectares (ha) in the next four years."

When he spoke about to the evolutionary performance that the avocado industry in Peru has reached, he emphasized the potential in the Peruvian Hass variety, "with good agricultural practices we can reach 38 ton/ha. (Referring to the production of their farms in some areas) while the national average is 9 to 10 ton/ha."

Upon opening the American market, Quevedo said that companies that he leads already export and import directly and said that within its associative structure they have partners in California, which in turn participate in the reception and distribution of crops in the United States, facilitating the commercial flow.

Finally, with the opening of new trade windows for our export and the way the market has been behaving, the executive projected that the total acreage for avocados in Peru would go from 9.800 hectares (2010) to 12,000 hectares in 2013.

Source: agraria.pe

Award-winning chefs team up with Avocados from Mexico

Avocados from Mexico teamed up with three award-winning chefs to host holiday parties for three lucky winners of the Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association’s (MHAIA) Holiday Personal Chef Sweepstakes. The winners received a holiday party for their family and friends prepared by Chefs Rick Bayless, Top Chef Masters Season one winner and chef/owner of Chicago’s popular Frontera restaurant; Iliana de la Vega, culinary educator and restaurateur; or Roberto Santibañez, restaurateur and author of “Truly Mexican.” The chefs provided their expert advice for holiday entertaining in short “webisodes” highlighting the delicious food, enjoyable company and atmosphere of successful holiday parties, which can be viewed on MHAIA’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/theamazingavocado. Their tips include:

Use Seasonal Ingredients – Chef Rick Bayless recommends using fresh, seasonal ingredients whenever possible to get the most flavor out of holiday meals. “Fresh in-season produce always provides the best flavors,” says Chef Bayless. “I made a decadent guacamole using sundried tomatoes, crispy bacon and avocados from Mexico, which are available year-round,” he explained, referring to the party he hosted in Manalapan, New Jersey on December 3rd.

Plan Ahead - For Chef Iliana de la Vega, the best part of holiday entertaining is spending time with friends and family and she was excited to provide that experience to a family in Atlanta, Georgia on December 2nd. “Mexican food is great for entertaining because you can prepare most of it ahead of time and then simply garnish or re-heat when guests arrive. You aren’t stuck in the kitchen while your guests are enjoying themselves,” Chef de la Vega explains. “At the party, I prepared shrimp cocktail in a creamy avocado sauce a few hours prior to the party and kept it fresh by placing plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the sauce before refrigerating.”

Stick to the Basics – “If you learn some basic sauces – in Mexican cooking that can be salsas, guacamoles, adobos or moles – you’ll find you can create a variety of dishes, from appetizers and snacks to delicious entrees with ease,” suggests Chef Roberto Santibanez. “For example, I dressed up a poached chicken with a delicious pistachio sauce but it also would have been great with fish or a rack of lamb,” he explained, referring to the party he hosted in Lake Havasu, Arizona on December 1st.

MHAIA rounded out this program with a satellite media tour and a Twitter party with Chef Santibanez serving as spokesperson, sharing recipes and tips for putting a twist on traditional holiday meals. To learn more and view the webisodes with tips from the three chefs, visit the Amazing Avocado Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/theamazingavocado.For more information visit www.theamazingavocado.com
Publication date: 12/22/2011

Mexico: Cold could affect Michoacán avocado
Although some regions, of the 26 municipalities that make up the producer branch of Michoacán avocado, have recorded low temperatures, there have been no reports on losses due to frost; weather phenomenon that along with hailstorms are the "terror" for producers besides pests and diseases.

According to scientific and technical studies prepared by the National Institute For Forestry, Agriculture and Livestock (INIFAP) as well as by other institutions
linked to "green gold" blocks, agree that the cold is definitely one of the worst enemies of the avocado because although the temperatures may not be extreemely low it does affect the flowering trees.

This means that with a less vigorous flowering, production decreases, ie, the current cold will affect to a greater or lesser extent certain areas of production
for next season, mainly those microregions located above 1,600 meters above sea level.

According to statistics from groups like the Association of Producers, Packers
Exporters of Michoacán Avocado (APEAM) or the Michoacan Avocado Commission (COMA) among others, show that of the 106,000 hectares of avocado in the state, 50 percent are susceptible to this cold, since the rest are located below 1,600 meters above sea level.

Presidents of local plant health boards, as well as those responsible for the "avocado" phytosanitary campaign on behalf the State Committee on Plant Health,

indicate that the possible damage that low temperatures may cause will not be known in detail until next March or April, when they observe the fields and get a notion of what kind of production is coming in accordance with the flowering.

December 2011 Source: La Voz de Mi
Avocados from Mexico receives great response to Puss in Boots promo

Avocados from Mexico has announced the success of its recent tie-in promotion with DreamWorks’ 3-D animated film, Puss In Boots, that ran October 24 - November 21, 2011. The promotion, which was unveiled in conjunction with the release of the film and the peak of the Avocados from Mexico season, leveraged the natural Hispanic connection between the avocado brand and the Puss In Boots character to increase brand awareness and consumption of Avocados from Mexico.

During the four weeks of the promotion, Avocados from Mexico received more than 30,000 entries in its Puss in Boots Sweepstakes on Facebook and increased its Facebook following by more than 90%. Additionally, the campaign generated more than 15 million impressions through a targeted FSI, radio spots in select markets, online marketing campaign, social media efforts and in-store POS.

Avocados from Mexico also developed Puss In Boots themed recipes to feature on their website such as Kitty Softpaws’ Charming & Disarming Chicken Tortas and Humpty Dumptylicious Breakfast Sandwich. The campaign also included a mail-in offer for a free Puss In Boots Look and Find Book with the purchase of three Avocados from Mexico, which was supported online, through in-store POS and onpack mesh bags offered at select retailers. Overall, more than 4,000 POS materials were shipped to retailers to be displayed during the course of the promotion.

“This campaign was an exciting opportunity for us because it linked our brand with a major animated film, helping to increase awareness, excitement and sales for Avocados from Mexico,” said Emiliano Escobedo, APEAM Marketing Director. “In order to ensure retailers could also capitalize on the popularity of the movie, we developed a variety of colorful, eye-catching POS materials featuring the Puss character, including a life-size standee to grab shoppers’ attention as soon as they entered the produce department—It was important to make this promotion successful for retailers as well as for our brand.” For more information visit www.avocadosfrommexico.com

Publication date: 12/14/2011


Mexican avocado exports grow by 44% this year

The Undersecretary of Agribusiness Promotion of SAGARPA, Ernesto Fernandez Arias, said that based on FAO statistics, the country participates with 39% of international trade in fruit, its main destinations are the U.S., Japan and Canada.

During the last decade, Mexican avocado exports grew more than 25%, by going from U.S.D $73 million in 2000 to U.S.D $672 million in 2010; until September of this year U.S.D $642.4 million were exported in avocado, resulting in an increase of 43.7% compared to the same period last year.

According to a report by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA), the country ranks as the largest producer and exporter of this fruit, it records a positive evolution since early 2000.

"The national production of avocados in the last ten years has had a positive trend, since the total sum of the production exceeded 10 million tons with an annual average growth of 2%," said Undersecretary, Ernesto Fernandez Arias.

In addition, he said that, in the last decade the area that has been harvested grew an average of 2.7% annually, going from 94,000 hectares in 2000 to 123,000 hectares in 2010.

He indicated that, based on statistics from the United Nations Organization for Food and Agriculture (FAO), the country is the world leader in international sales with 39% of avocado trade, its main destinations are the U.S., Japan and Canada.

Next in the list of exporting nations is Chile, with 12%, Netherlands 10%, and Spain with 8%.

With respect to exports from Mexico to the United States, Fernandez Arias said that between 2006 and 2010, Mexican avocado sales to that country will cover more than 80% of that market.

He explained that, nationally, in 2010 the avocado production stood at around 1.1 million tons, of which Michoacán produced 920,000. This means that the entity has an average monthly supply of 76,000 tons.

Ernesto Fernandez Arias said that the state of Michoacán is considered the main producer and exporter of the fruit, providing more than 80% of national production.

All other producing entities are Jalisco, Morelos, Nayarit, Mexico, Guerrero and Yucatan, which together produce more than 120,000 tons, he added.

Source: Sagarpa

Panama: Climate changes affect avocado flowering

Weather changes made flowering in some plants, including fruit trees, such as the avocado, in several sectors in the Veraguas province, to be in production out of season.

In the coast area of Veraguas, avocado trees are giving a high production of fruit, out of season as harvesting usually takes place during May or June. And it's happening also in Isla Leones and other areas of Montijo gulf, where there are big amounts of this fruit.

Many farmers in the Veraguas province assure that all this is caused by the weather, as the constant changes cause confusion in nature, making flowering and production of these traditional fruits to happen before time.

Source: Critica.com.pa Publication date: 12/12/2011

Spain: Lack of rain affecting the avocado campaign

The lack of rain that has been affecting the area since November 20 has hurt the avocado campaign, one of the most important in the municipality.
According to the president of the Cooperative, this has affected the collection of this fruit dramatically. Specifically, in the last quarter of 2011, production shrank by 20% over the same period of last year -"we collected 81 tons-and the price rose 10%, with an average of 0.98 euros a kilo of avocados".
Water shortage has made farmers irrigate crops using water from wells. To pump water out of the wells electric motors have been used, which has consumed lots of energy. The rising fertilizer prices and thefts in the area have also hurt the campaign.
December 2011
Source: Diario Sur

Kenya: Hope for avocado as country sets wasps on fruit flies

Kenya has released imported wasps to fight the invader fruit fly paving the way for the lifting of a ban that was imposed on avocado exports three years ago. Scientists have been conducting research on the predator insects that were imported from the US in 2006, and last week, the country finally embarked on a concerted war against the pest that has cost more than Ksh3 billion ($33.4 million) in export earnings since South Africa shut its doors on avocado imports in 2008. The all-out war was waged with the release of the two wasps, scientifically known as B. invadens from Hawaii - Fopius arisanus which attacks eggs and Diachasmimorpha longicaudata which attacks larvae.

The wasps were let loose with government permission by scientists from the International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) in the coast region, the first in a series of such releases in key fruit growing regions. According to head of horticulture at ICIPE Dr Sunday Ekesi, who doubles as the principal scientist and programme leader of the African Fruitfly Programme based in Nairobi, the historical event signifies the first importation of the parasitoids in Africa, whose success will see the programme replicated all over the continent. The wasps that are natural enemies help in controlling infestation by laying their eggs in the body of the target insect, which is then used as food for the developing larvae, eventually destroying it.

After successful experiment on eco-safety in Magadi, the researchers have done mass laboratory production and rearing of these parasitoids that were released in Kilifi at a well attended ceremony witnessed by scientists from ICIPE, agriculture ministry, farmers and other interested parties. Considering that the natural enemies have a capacity to eliminate parasitism by 40 per cent, other methods that were also unveiled will be employed in tandem. These include a cocktail of special traps, biological pesticides and sanitation to achieve an acceptable level of control of the pest Bactocera dorsalis, that is reported to have been introduced on the continent from Sri Lanka in 2003, spreading with reckless abandon due to lack of a natural predator.

Scientists in insect science - called entomologists -- have been studying the lifecycle of the fruit fly in order to understand how to control it with methods suitable to the African environment. Research indicates that the mature female lays eggs on the fruit after piercing the skin. The eggs hatch into maggots and start feeding on the fruit, which rots and falls off. Once on the ground, the maggots develop cocoons and hibernate in the soil, hatch and attack mangoes, bananas, oranges and the cycle continues.

Alternative method

To beef up the imported natural predators, scientists are now recommending that farmers use poisoned protein baits as the best method. Females need proteins to lay eggs that hatch and are easily attracted to it from a distance and killed by the insecticide. The baits are placed at a spot on the canopy or set on the tree trunk of each tree in the orchard. The traps can be made locally from yellow plastic cans, that are poked and the bait such as Mazofern is spread. The trap is replenished weekly. Insects are naturally attracted to colour yellow.

Developed alongside the female magnet is a male version. A local firm, Farm Consult has developed wicks that only attract the males. The wicks are laced with methyl euginol mixed with an insecticide called Malathion and works the same way. Elimination of males leads to the laying of infertile eggs drastically reducing the pest population. "For best results apply both methods to kill male and female insects," said Dr Ekesi.

Source: menafn.com Publication date: 12/20/2011