Sigfrido Molina of Sigfrido Fruit is cautious about harvest forecasts for avocados, but is upbeat on pricing ahead of the season in October.

Speaking with www.freshfruitportal.com, he emphasizes that unlike some avocado-growing nations, Spain's three production provinces of Málaga, Granada and Cádiz in Andalusia have just one bloom each year, which means climatic factors can be decisive.

"The current context is that we've had different ups and downs in temperature in the flowering period with some rain, and unfortunately the fruit set was irregular in its moment," he says.

"Right now, we are experiencing 36-38°C (96.8-100.4°F) days, and we have reached 40°C (104°F) during some days in the month of July.

"We have just one bloom, and if that bloom is lost the campaign is lost."

Sigfrido Molina

Growers in the region made it through the bloom, but now they must gear up for winds that have the potential to knock fruit out of trees.

"You can't know how much production will be until its harvested. In October we get heavy winds as a rule, and that also means a lot of fruit falls off. It's hard work for growers in this zone."

The harvest normally begins in the first days of October with the Bacon variety, followed by Fuerte in late October and early November, then Hass in mid-December.

When asked about prices, he says new records are set every year with the fruit becoming more expensive.

"Last year what happened is there was a general shortage in the international markets, in all of them," he says.

"There was a lack of fruit from Kenya, Morocco, Israel. All of this meant the harvest we had in Spain, which also was not abundant, we're talking 30 million kilograms (30,000 metric tons), broke a historical record of above €3 (US$3.41) a kilo (2.2 pounds) as a return for the grower."

Sigfrido Fruit's main market is Spain with 55%, with the rest mostly going to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and the U.K.

Consumption trends

He says there is not such a trend in Europe to speak of, but more a "continuity", keeping in mind the continent has felt deeply the shocks of terrorist attacks.

"We don't want to have too many stories, news and presentations," he says, emphasizing those who want bulk keep buying in bulk, and those who want avocados in nets keep buying with nets.

However, there is a trend toward the concept of 'Ready to Eat'.

"Our customers are increasingly asking for avocados at a particular point of ripening. We don't do a lot of volume, but what I can say is that we take orders to the letter," he says.

Molina highglights growth in the Spanish market as well, with avocados consumed in salads, as a side dish like guacamole or as a sauce.

"We did a presentation with avocado paella," he adds.

www.freshfruitportal.com