fbpx

U.S. Could Soon Start Importing Haas Avocados From South Africa

U.S. Could Soon Start Importing Haas Avocados From South Africa

The global demand for Hass avocados is increasing every year, but especially in the U.S., which could soon see its first shipment of avocados from South Africa, according to a report in PerishableNews.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is developing a Pest Risk Assessment with its South African counterpart, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. This is a precursor getting the necessary approvals so the U.S. can import Hass avocados from South Africa, according to the report.

Executives representing the Hass avocado companies in South Africa and the U.S. announced today that they had established a U.S.-South Africa Avocado Committee.

The committee includes U.S. and South African import and export companies, avocado packers and growers. The committee co-chairmen are Zac Bard of Westfalia; Johannesburg, and Jim Donovan of Mission Produce; Oxnard, California.

“The U.S.-South Africa Avocado binational committee is a first for the agricultural industry, and signals an exciting new era of innovation and partnership in bringing high quality South African avocados to the U.S.,” Bard said.

“The global demand for hass avocados is increasing every year, especially in the U.S., which this year is expected to reach 2 billion pounds,” Donovan said in a prepared statement. “Once all approvals are secured, the U.S. could see the first shipment of avocados from South Africa in the near future.”