Colombia has increased its 2018 Hass avocado export forecast, with shipments from January through April up nearly three-fold year-on-year.

Exports over the four months hit US$32 million compared to US$12.9 million last year, Giovanni Gómez of the National Association of Foreign Trade (Analdex) told Portalfolio.

He said new production areas had come online during the start of the year, and he expected more to do the same over the coming months.

"When we made the first export forecast in January of this year, we thought that we would reach US$75 million and some 40,000 metric tons (MT) in 2018. However, we have revised that figure and now think it could reach 50,000MT and US$90-95 million," he said.

The U.S. market opened for Colombian Hass avocados late last year, and expectations in Colombia are high for this season. Pacific Fruits commercial director said the company planned to ship around 35 to 40 containers to the U.S. this year.

In late May the first ever shipment of Hass grown in the department of Quindío was sent to the U.S., with a 20-metric-ton (MT) consignment setting sail from the Port of Cartagena, bound for Long Beach, California.

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