Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Agricultural markets

Boost for Mexican Avocado industry

Tiempo de lectura: 3 mins.

Mexican Hass avocado growers were excited to receive training in an alternative non-destructive way of determining avocado maturity.

Avocado is one of the most popular fruits in the American continent. According to the Association of Producers and Packers, Exporters of Avocado in Mexico (APEAM AC), in 2016 Mexico exported 943,621.5 ton mainly to USA, Canada, Japan and China. This trade seems bound to increase, as there is now more awareness of its nutritional profile and indications are that its popularity in countries such as China is growing.  Getting the avocado at the right time in the marketplace is however tricky.  So far, growers have been relying on a method for testing the readiness for harvesting avocados prior to packing and shipping, which results in loss of thousands of kilos of the fruit.  Why?  Since the dry matter content of avocado is used as an indicator of its maturity, conventional methods typically involves microwaving the avocado to determine its dry weight. 

Mexican Hass avocado growers were therefore excited to receive training in an alternative non-destructive way of determining avocado maturity. Recently conducted in avocado growing regions of Mexico: Xalisco, Nayarit; Ciudad Guzman, Jalisco and Uruapan, Michoacan, the training was well received by over 150 growers, packers and technicians who felt that there were several advantages to using the specially designed portable spectrometer, as it eliminated the substantial loss of fruit. Importantly, the non-destructive method allows a greater number of fruits to be tested and provides increased confidence about the optimal harvesting time. Lead by the Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agricolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP) and Felix Instruments, the session benefited from years of collaborative research and contribution by the trilateral agricultural platform – PROCINORTE (USA, Canada, Mexico) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, IICA, which promotes productive and sustainable agriculture in the Americas.

For further information, please contact:

Dr. Audia Barnett

IICA Canada Representative

audia.Barnett@iica.int

Share

Related news​

San José, Costa Rica

June 5, 2025

At IICA, Costa Rican cacao producers are recognized for the excellence of their products and for their contribution to rural development and nutrition in the region

Experts analyzed 15 samples of cacao from various parts of the Central American country, with the five that received the highest scores then declared winners of the 2025 competition. The same five samples were sent to Rome, Italy, where they will represent Costa Rica in the international “Cacao of Excellence” competition, the stepping stone to the International Cocoa Awards.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Turrialba, Costa Rica

June 3, 2025

On a study visit to Costa Rica, ministers of Agriculture, rural youth and women of the Eastern Caribbean were introduced to improved agricultural practices

The mission began with two days of activities at IICA Headquarters in San Jose, including meeting with the IICA Director General, Manuel Otero. The visitors then travelled to CATIE.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

San José, Costa Rica

June 2, 2025

Ibero-America sees biofuels as a solution to decarbonize the energy sector  

The annual meeting of the Ibero-American Association of Energy Regulators (ARIAE), held in San Jose and Guanacaste, Costa Rica, featured the II Entrepreneurial Forum, attracting 200 participants, including the Costa Rican Minister of Environment and Energy, the Executive Secretary of the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) and authorities of the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB); the XV Regular Annual Meeting of the ARIAE General Assembly, which was attended by 17 regulatory agencies of ARIAE; and the XXVI Annual Meeting of ARIAE Energy Regulators.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins