Up to 50 tons of avocados to be exported to Europe

CNI News

31 Jan 2023

A total of 50 tons of Hass variety avocados will be exported from Myanmar to Europe this year, according to the Myanmar Avocado Exporters Association.

After participating in the food, vegetable and fruit fairs in Thailand and France in October and November, 2022, European countries expressed their interest in Myanmar avocados and signed agreements to import up to 50 tons of avocados from Myanmar.

Plans are underway to export 10 tons of avocados to Europe on 5th February, Secretary U Kyaw Soe Min of the MAEA told the CNI.

He said, "Two companies exported about 500 kg of avocados on a trial basis and European countries agreed to import up to 50 tons of the fruit from us. We exported three tons of the fruit at a time. We will export from five to 10 tons of avocados on 5th February to meet their demand. They have agreed to accept less than 50 tons of avocados if we cannot export up to 50 tons by the end of the harvesting season."
Hass varieties of avocados harvested from Taunggyi, Nwangkhio, Pekhon and Hopone in Shan State (South) and Pyin Oo Lwin are being exported to Europe.

Storing harvested avocados in baskets.

The permission to export avocados to Malaysia has been received and a container of avocados has been exported to Thailand on a trial basis to get permission to export the fruits officially, U Kyaw Soe Min said. Thailand is one of the major countries that mainly import avocados from Myanmar.

He told the CNI, "We export avocados mainly to Thailand, which imports as many avocados as we can export. Our association helps farmers find export markets. We are trying to make inroads into Thailand and Malaysia markets. Currently, avocados are exported to Thailand illegally and to Malaysia officially. We are still trying to export avocados to Thailand officially. We have sent a container of avocados to Thailand officially on a trial basis. However, there are risks."

Avocados are mainly grown in Shan State (South), Mandalay and Pyin Oo Lwin in Myanmar. Myanmar has more than 10,000 acres of avocado plantations, which produce 20,000 tons of avocados annually, and the total acreage of avocados has expanded recently.

Myanmar exports Hass variety avocados grown in Shan State (South) from November to January.

During the current harvesting season, about 4,000 tons of Hass variety and 15,000 tons of local varieties either officially or illegally, according to the MAEA.