Core Reminder: According to South African media Independent Online, on August 22 local time, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, on behalf of Agriculture Minister Tang Renjian, signed an agreement with South African Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development Thoko Didiza on the export of avocado from South Africa to China.
According to South African media Independent Online, on August 22 local time, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, on behalf of Agriculture Minister Tang Renjian, signed an agreement with South African Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development Thoko Didiza on the export of avocado from South Africa to China.
Didiza stated that the South African government has been committed to opening up the Chinese market for local fruit farmers. China is expected to become one of the world's main consumers of avocado, providing a huge opportunity for the South African avocado industry to expand production.
According to the "South African Avocado Growers Association's Overview of the Avocado Industry" released in May, Derek Donkin, CEO of the Subtropical Fruit Growers Association of South Africa, stated that in 1970, the Avocado planting area in South Africa was 2000 hectares, and then the Avocado industry steadily grew until 2003. From 2003 to 2008, the expansion rate slowed down and there was almost no growth. But since 2009, due to the increasing demand for avocado from consumers, the total planting area has increased. The 2023 avocado tree census showed that the commercial planting area of avocado orchards in South Africa is approximately 19500 hectares, with an annual increase of approximately 800 hectares.
In the past, the avocado production season in South Africa was from February to October, but as higher altitude and southerly latitudes began planting avocado, the current harvest season can last from February to mid January of the following year, almost covering the entire year. The peak harvest period is still between February and August, but as fruit trees in newly planted areas begin to fully produce fruit in the later stages, the harvest volume from September to January will increase. Among the avocado trees cultivated in South African nurseries, 80% are dark skinned Hass and varieties with Hass characteristics such as Carmen, Gem, Lamb Hass, Maluma, etc. The remaining 20% of avocado trees are green skinned varieties such as Fuerte, Pinkerton, Ryan, and Reed.
It is estimated that the average annual production of South African avocado industry in three years is 139400 tons, of which 45% is used for export, with the main export destinations being the European Union and the United Kingdom. The remaining avocado is for domestic consumption, with approximately 10% used for processing avocado oil and puree. The total production of avocado in South Africa in 2021 was 135742 tons, which increased to 147129 tons in 2022.
South Africa is the largest avocado exporter in Africa, with export markets including Europe, the Middle East, and other southern African countries. It is predicted that South Africa will export approximately 18 million boxes of avocado this year, an increase of nearly 2 million boxes or nearly 10% from last year's 16.3 million boxes. In recent years, the domestic demand for avocado in South Africa has also increased, and there have been no signs of slowing down recently.
In addition to South Africa, the main producers of avocado in Africa include Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, with Kenya and Tanzania obtaining market access to the Chinese market in June and November 2022, respectively. Kenya avocado began exporting to China in July last year, and according to the Kenya avocado Association, the export value in 2022 exceeded $57 million. According to Chinese customs statistics, as of July 2023, China has imported 3674 tons of Kenyan avocado this year, valued at RMB 47.46 million.
