Following the brief import ban of Mexican avocados in early 2022, prices in the U.S. soared by 19%, reaching peak dollar sales of over $233 million in June last year, according to the Hass Avocado Board (HAB).

Average avocado prices in the U.S. market were around $48 per package, with a 16% increase during March, which translated to a $6 - $8 rise per package, according to USDA figures.

April also saw increased values of around $70 per package, dropping back to $65 per pack between early May and June.

Prices peaked at around $72 per pack during the final weeks of June. With higher prices, annual overall dollar sales for the commodity rose 7% to over $2,399 million.

Hass avocado’s dollar sales velocity also increased by almost 4%, reaching $1,731 YTD.

Import volumes for the commodity saw a 58% decrease year-on-year. However, the U.S. remains the number one importer of avocados, with over 1,116 pounds supplied to the market during 2022.

Mexico continues to top the charts as the world’s top avocado exporter, with over 6,720 million pounds shipped in the past 3 years. 

The U.S. market currently accounts for 80% of said volume. Mexico’s profit margins for exports are typically more than 50% higher than supplies sold to the domestic market.