After 10 years of hard work, Ecuador has signed an agreement to export avocados to the U.S., as FreshFruitPortal.com first reported on Aug. 8. This comes as the South American country continues to push a national strategy that aims to increase exports of non-traditional agricultural products.

Ecuador’s Agency for Regulation and Phytosanitary and Zoosanitary Control (Agrocalidad) and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have already signed the work plan that allows access of Ecuadorian avocado to the U.S.

A first shipment of Ecuadorian avocados is expected to be made before the end of the year, however, no official date has been announced.

The Ambassador of Ecuador to the U.S., Ivonne A-Baki tells FreshFruitPortal.com "after several years of work and constant dialogue between the competent institutions of Ecuador and the United States, we finally have a work plan that will allow Ecuadorian avocados to enter the U.S. market. This is a great opportunity to expand bilateral trade, promote the export of a non-traditional product with great potential for expansion, job creation, economic development and investment attraction for our country.”

In order to finalize this agreement, Agrocalidad met with APHIS, where a technical agreement was reached between the parties that allowed the Operational Work Plan (OWP) to be drawn up.

Agrocalidad states that "avocado cultivation is a great production and export alternative for the country. It is a fruit with a high vitamin, folic acid, fatty acid, and omega-3 content that grows and is harvested in the central Ecuadorian highlands.

"We congratulate ourselves for this important milestone that we hope will also open the door to other non-traditional products that we want to present to the U.S. market for the expansion of our trade and economic exchange, but that above all will favor small and medium-sized producers in Ecuador," adds Ambassador A-Baki.

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Trade

In 2022, avocado exports represented an income of more than $1 million for Ecuador. Agrocalidad certified 1,300 tons for export  to Spain, France, Russia, Dubai, Kazakhstan, among others.

Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Eduardo Izaguirre Marín, stresses this market opening will benefit more than 11,000 people involved in the avocado production chain.

Ecuador currently has about 160 registered avocado producers, located in the provinces of Carchi, El Oro, Guayas, Imbabura, Los Ríos, Manabí, Pichincha, Santa Elena and Tungurahua.

"With this achievement it has been demonstrated once again that Ecuador meets the highest standards of quality of its products, sanitary and phytosanitary standards required by the United States and also with a social and labor welfare oriented regulation," says A-Baki.

Agrocalidad's executive director, Patricio Almeida, says this will especially benefit small avocado producers, as they will have an alternative access to one of the world’s most important markets.

"Through effective negotiations, the Agency reflects its commitment to small, medium and large producers, demonstrating that the coordinated work between the public and private sectors represents a gain for the agricultural production sector," says Almeida.