A major Israeli avocado exporter is feeling positive about the upcoming campaign in Europe, with the harvest of the first green-skinned varieties just around the corner. 

Granot avocado manager Giora Marom told www.freshfruitportal.com the company had seen strong growth in the European market over recent years and expected no change this time around.

"The last season was very good for us and we expect the upcoming season to be at least as good," he said, adding Granot was growing at a rate of around 15% in the market.

"We are feeling positive. In avocados you have to be always positive."

Marom said Israel had a good marketing window into the continent, given the relative lack of competition in the run up to Christmas.

Chilean market research company Decofrut recently highlighted that avocado prices were currently higher than last year. It attributed this to declining volumes from Peru, as well as low supplies from Kenya, Mexico and Chile.

Marom said there had been some price pressure on smaller varieties over recent months, but he said it had not been a major a problem.

"It depends on the variety, the period and the market you send to. To Russia and England you can send small varieties," he said.

Granot currently has around 2,100 hectares of avocado plantations, and is planting more at an annual rate of 10-15%, according to Marom.

Around half corresponds to the Hass variety, with the rest represented by green-skinned cultivars, which are far more popular amongst Israeli consumers.

The harvest will begin in mid-September with the Ettinger variety, before moving onto Fuerte, Pinkerton and then Hass toward the end of the year.

The campaign is expected to come to a close around March or April.

The representative also said the company was trialling the South African Maluma variety, which is rising in popularity around the world. But he added there were no plans as yet to begin commercial production.

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