Costa Rica: Avocado shortage could increase
The restriction imposed by the State plant protection service (SFE) on the importation of avocados f…The restriction imposed by the State plant protection service (SFE) on the importation of avocados from various international markets since June 13, coupled with the completion of the Costa Rican harvest of this fruit, would cause a greater shortage of the product in the country.
According to Randall Benavides, President of the Chamber of exporters and importers of perishable goods from Costa Rica (CEIPP), Costa Rica has had shortages of this fruit since the ban started. "The price has skyrocketed due to lack of supply of quality product. In addition, the domestic production is consumed much faster. We are also concern because the avocado, which is part of the basic shopping basket, was stratified and it became difficult for many people to access it", said Benavides.
The importer said that they currently had fewer options remaining to import this fruit from overseas, as the avocado that was brought from Nicaragua was already running out, and the harvest in Peru, the other country from which they were importing, was also coming to an end. "All we have left is what we have in storage. With it we could possibly cover what remains of August and September. An option would be importing avocados from Chile or from Colombia. However, the Chilean market is much more distant and has the particularity that it competes against itself, because it is a market that consumes its own avocado. Prices would be much higher than what is currently in the market, because of the distance and availability," stated Benavides.
The businessman said they would have to wait until mid-October when the second stage of the national avocado harvest starts, which is a little bigger, but that there could still be problems as the consumers may still not accept changing the imported avocados for national ones.