Avocados from Mexico will be promoted heavily in the US as of this week through April 2010 as the Association of Mexican Avocado Packers and Exporters in Michoacán (APEAM) looks to further drive sales.

“Advertising is back on air beginning this week and will continue to build demand through Super Bowl,” explained Emiliano Escobedo, APEAM’s marketing director in a press release. “In Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Chicago we will be airing three promotional adverts; one general market TV spot, one Hispanic market TV spot and one Hispanic market radio spot.”

Activities will turn up a notch during January and February to coincide with the American football playoffs and Super Bowl. To enable retailers to tap into sales potential, APEAM is offering various point-of-sale materials, including display cards, display towers and floor talkers.

Two special promotions are also planned for early next year. On 25 January to 12 March, APEAM will be raising awareness to both consumers and produce handlers about how to select a ripe avocado.

And on 8 March to 25 April, APEAM will coordinate an Amazing Salad campaign which aims to educate consumers about the various ways in which to use the fruit in salads.

Participating retailers already include: Stop&Shop (Edwards), Hannaford, Big Y, Bozzuto’s, C&S Wholesalers, Wakefern, Price Chopper, Giant Eagle, Giant Food, Harris-Teeter, Kroger, K-VA-T, Ukrop’s, Farm Fresh, Harvey’s, Jewel-Osco, Dierbergs and Spartan.

Meanwhile, APEAM is making solid progress with its quest to boost production and sustainability within the Mexican avocado industry.

Earlier this summer, the association began a reforestation program on USDA-certified orchards with the goal of maintaining the environmental sustainability of Mexican avocado production.

“Over 150,000 pine trees of various species have been planted which exceeded the goals originally set out for the program,” explained Mr Escobedo. “In addition to planting trees, other projects were completed that help protect the orchards from wind and capture water to retain moisture in the soil.”

To give a further boost to product, APEAM is also installing 30 weather stations across the growing region of Michoacán to provide information on crop development, water needs, disease and pest potentials as well as temperature trends including freezes.

“Each station monitors solar radiation, wind speed, wind direction, temperature, relative humidity and precipitation,” Mr Escobedo said. “The stations collect information every 15 minutes and transmit the data to a central system at APEAM from where it is accessed by growers. The project is scheduled for completion by early next year.”

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