Shipments of Chilean Hass avocado reached 85,000 tons in 2010, a 56% drop compared to the previous year, according to preliminary numbers from the country’s Hass avocado committee, financial daily Estrategia reported.

The majority of the drop, some 75%, is attributed to the alternating yield of the crop, one season is high, the next low, the report cited committee president Adolfo Ochagavia as saying.

The remaining drop is attributed to frosts experienced during the season, the report added.

While the drop in volume was largely expected, the importance of the domestic market was the novelty of the 2010 season, according to the report.

A greater demand and stable price has made Chile’s internal market much more favorable, especially considering the instability of the US dollar abroad, FreshFruitPortal.com previously reported.

“We had a much more dynamic internal market than expected, where domestic demand increased which is pretty positive. We hope that the trend continues,” Ochagavia is quoted as saying.

Source: www.freshfruitportal.com