Avo availability tight

Importers into the UK have been dealing with a difficult season on avocados for most of the year and they are not out of the woods yet.

"Mexico usually fills a window at the end of the South African season before Spain starts but we have been reluctant to bring in Mexican product as there have been some quality problems," said Clare Selvey of importer Minor Weir & Willis. "But we have found that Chilean fruit as an alternative is fine."

The problem this season stems from the US. "Hass supplies in the US have gone tight," explained Mark Key of UK importer Greencell. "Chile is honouring its existing programmes to the UK, but more ad hoc sendings to continental Europe are being cancelled." The reason, Key believes is that Chilean senders can get fruit into, and payment out of, the US more quickly than if they send it to Europe. But this strong demand for Chilean supplies is creating a very competitive marketplace and strengthening prices.

The situation has been made more complex because South African supplies finished a little early, said Key.

Supplies of Bacon and Fuerte from Spain are already coming through and some producers have begun harvesting Israeli Ettinger. Selvey expects Hass from Spain to start in early November, although Greencell will not handle any fruit from the source until later in the season once oil content is higher, probably January.