European avocado arrivals were down 9% year-on-year to 157,948 metric tons (MT) in the season to date in week 37, according to data released by the South African Subtropical Growers' Association.

South Africa and Peru now have four weeks left for their avocado exports to Europe, with 25,708MT and 55,836MT shipped so far respectively.

Brazil has shipped its last avocado volumes to the continent with a total of 2,356MT for the season.

Chile started shipments to Europe in week 36 with just 5 cartons, while another Southern Hemisphere player Kenya has exported the bulk of its avocado shipments with 10,292MT and six weeks of low volumes remaining.

Mexico and Chile are set to continue exporting volumes to the continent for the rest of the year, while Israel and Spain will join the market in week 39.

Israel's export crop estimate is up 14% year-on-year to 49,500MT, but Spain's expected season sales are down 15% year-on-year to 37,500MT.

The yearly total is expected to close at 226,767Mt, representing a 5.6% fall on 2010.

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