We are kicking off a new avocado season in Peru, and all signs point to it being another very challenging one, just as it was during the 23/24 season.
Unusually high temperatures during the winter prevented the plants from entering dormancy before pruning, which left them weakened. In addition, some companies extended the harvest season, which will have a negative impact on estimated yields for the upcoming season along the Peruvian coast.
The experience of 23/24 should have taught us the importance of giving the tree a rest, even if that means delaying pruning. Some growers did just that, and today their orchards are showing good results. In contrast, those who finished harvesting and pruned immediately are now facing vegetative growth that will limit the number of blooms and, consequently, the tree’s ability to set fruit.
On the other hand, we have received calls from fellow growers asking us how to reduce expenses, assuming from the outset that they will have no fruit. Since the trees in these orchards have not had a rest period, they are producing shoots without flowers or, at times, profuse blooms without leaves. This will cause the trees, once the leaves emerge, to shed the set fruit due to natural competition.
Those who did their jobs well will indeed have fruit in a year in which supply from Peru is expected to be lower during the April–August season. That reduction will likely drive prices above historical averages.
Good for the producers who learned their lesson!
