The 90% Surge in Moroccan Imports Plummets Alicante Avocado Prices

Morocco's increase in avocado imports is complicating the current campaign for avocados with the Valencian Community seal, which encompasses 3,994 hectares of cultivation in the region, 668 of which are in the province of Alicante. The Marina Baixa, specifically Callosa d'en Sarrià, is the primary cultivation area, with over 200 hectares.

La Unió Llauradora reports a price drop for the Lamb Hass variety, the most widely planted in the Community, this season. Prices have fallen by 29%, from 2.44 euros per kilo in March 2024 to just 1.73 euros per kilo. Farmers have identified Morocco as the main culprit.

Imports of avocados from the North African country have surged by 89% at the start of 2025, while overall foreign purchases of this fruit have increased by 68%. In January alone, 14,187 tonnes of avocados arrived from Morocco, coinciding with the peak season in Alicante. This does not account for Peru and Chile, two major producers currently in the off-season.

According to the Ministry of Commerce, a total of 262,071 tonnes of avocados entered Spain throughout 2024, an 8% increase compared to the previous year. La Unió has raised concerns about the "decline in product valuation."

Avocado cultivation is on the rise. In the previous season, Alicante's production exceeded 22.5 million euros, while the entire Community reached 21.6 million euros, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. Due to the growth of this crop, the Association of Avocado Producers, along with the Association of Young Farmers (Asaja), is pursuing a certification of origin. This brand is already available in some supermarkets.

La Unió insists that avocados are "an emerging crop in the Valencian fields that must be supported by the authorities to prevent destabilisation and ensure that the investment made by Valencian producers is not harmed."

The organisation also sends a message to consumers to support local avocados: "Consuming local avocados benefits our producers and the towns where they are grown, and it also contributes to the environment by eliminating the high carbon footprint associated with importing products from the other side of the world, as is the case with imports from South America," they argue.

This quality brand, promoted by the Association of Avocado Producers (Asoproa) - an entity linked to the Valencian Association of Farmers (Ava-Asaja) - helps local producers achieve greater profitability while ensuring consumers the highest standards of freshness, food safety, and environmental sustainability compared to imports from third countries.

The marketing of 'CV Avocados' begins with the Hass variety, the most prevalent worldwide. Subsequently, when its ripening period ends around March, the Lamb Hass variety, which accounts for more than 60% of Valencian production, will follow. ASOPROA estimates that this season's harvest will be similar or even slightly higher than the last, which reached 21,000 tonnes, due to the new plantations coming into production. Regarding prices at origin, the entity expects the 'CV Avocados' brand to help increase consumption and demand.