The head of a major Chilean avocado exporter says the industry will put 'all its efforts' into conducting successful promotions the Chinese market this season. 

The South American country gained access to China in 2014, but that year only managed to ship one container. The following year around 5,300 metric tons (MT) were shipped, but a representative of Santa Cruz said promotions were almost nonexistent.

"This will be the first real promotional campaign in China," general manager Javier Fuchslocher said.

"The first promotional activity that Chile did in China was during the last season, but it was very small, just in some points of sale and we couldn't really evaluate the results, since it wasn't a big campaign.

"What it really did was the support the first arrivals of fruit at the points of sale, which always helps the consumer."

Fuchslocher said a key part of the promotional campaign would involve an educational element to teach Chinese consumers about how to eat an avocado.

"I think that Chinese consumers still don't understand the different levels of avocado ripeness, in fact in China they served me firm avocados in restaurants," he said.

Fuchslocher said there were some companies that were trying to work with mature avocados, but added the cold chain system in the country often made it difficult.

"So it may not matter where the avocados originate from, or the promotions carried out, as China still does not have the infrastructure necessary to offer properly ripened avocados," he said.

The representative also said this was effectively the industry's 'first serious' campaign in China, given the improved pest controls and the greater knowledge of how the Chinese market operates.

"That's why in this season we have a much more structured promotional campaign, which will be much stronger at the point of sale, and which will also involve digital media and advise in the distribution channels - something that is fundamental for the supermarkets in China," he said.

"I think that with this extra support we'll be able to further penetrate the avocado market in China in terms of knowledge of the product, which is our biggest challenge."

Pagoda and Vanguard are two supermarkets the representative mentioned that will carry out promotions for Chilean avocados this season.

Santa Cruz shipped 20 containers to China when the season began in August, and Fuchslocher believes total industry exports to the Asian country will be 5-8% higher year-on-year.

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