Hopes are high that first shipments will take place before the end of the year
Nine months after gaining access to the US, Guatemala has yet to carry out a single shipment of Hass avocados to the US market, according to a report in Prensa Libre.
The US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (Aphis) signed the authorisation paving the way for imports in November 2024, and the first shipments were expected to take place in January or February 2025, to take advantage of the peak demand season resulting from the Super Bowl.
But this had to be postponed due to delays in the preparation and signing of the Operational Work Plan (POT). When consulted by Prensa Libre on the matter, the Agriculture Ministry said the POT had been signed in June.
According to the ministry, the next step is the signing of the Cooperative Agreement between the Avocado Producers Association (Anaguacate) of Guatemala and Aphis. Once this agreement has been signed, dates will be set for Aphis supervisors to visit farms and packing plants to check they are free of quarantine pests.
Based on the results of the visits, the farms will be able to export avocados to the US, the Agriculture Ministry said.
Francisco Bruderer, president of Anaguacate said the first exports are still expected to take place before the end of the year. “There is still a lot of work to be done, but I see it as feasible,” he noted.
Currently, there are approximately 6,000ha dedicated to the cultivation of Hass avocados and other varieties. With the new market options, the plan is to expand that area to 15,000ha over the next ten years, according to the Agriculture Ministry.
