Avocado continues to gain ground in the European shopping basket. And it is doing so even in a context of rising retail prices, a trend that highlights the strength of demand and the product’s continued high level of acceptance among consumers. This was one of the main conclusions of the 1st Avocado Congress, held in Motril and organised by Granada Más, where production, science, technology and the market came together to outline the prospects for a crop that still appears to have considerable room for growth.
The figures presented by Cristina Tenorio and Shelly Vorster, from the World Avocado Organisation (WAO), clearly reflect this trend. European consumption has risen from 0.8 kg per capita ten years ago to 1.8 kg today, an increase of one kilo per person in just a decade. However, there is still considerable scope for growth before reaching the 4 kg per capita consumed by North American consumers.
This progression is particularly significant because rising prices have not curbed purchases. According to figures presented during the event, volumes sold through European retail have recorded an average increase of 16%. Germany, Italy, France and Spain all reflect this trend: volumes are increasing while prices are also rising.
Europe imported around 963,000 tonnes of avocados from non-European origins. It also accounted for approximately 34% of global imports, while avocado ranked as the second highest-value imported fruit in Europe, with around €3.5 billion in imports from outside the EU.
In Spain, the average retail price stands at €4.9/kg, compared with €6.3/kg in Italy, €4.6/kg in France, €4.3/kg in Germany and €4/kg in England.
Spanish households consumed 95.3 million kilos of avocados in 2024, representing total expenditure of €443.7 million, according to Mercasa data.
“Avocado is not becoming a commodity, even though it is attracting new consumers every day,” WAO representatives said.
Plant health and new rootstocks
Plant health was another of the major topics addressed at the event. Dieback, Phytophthora root rot, white root rot, anthracnose, scab and sunblotch were among the diseases analysed.
Threats that are not yet present in Spain, such as laurel wilt, were also discussed, along with the opportunities offered by new plant material.
In this field, Brokaw is currently validating fifteen new rootstocks under field conditions, designed to address different agronomic needs, ranging from drought and the use of poor-quality water to disease tolerance. Meristec, meanwhile, addressed the industrial-scale micropropagation of avocado from a laboratory perspective.
Seeking solutions to the water challenge
If there is one factor capable of limiting this expansion, it is water. For this reason, many of the presentations focused on different approaches to improving water-use efficiency and the response of trees to stress conditions.
Among them was Irrigate-DSS, a digital irrigation scheduling tool presented by Juan José Hueso, a researcher at Cajamar’s Las Palmerillas Experimental Station.
Science opened up another avenue through the study of microorganisms capable of enhancing crop tolerance to adverse conditions. Avocado trees also have a very shallow root system, which increases their sensitivity to drought.
RELATED NEWS: Avocado: consumer expectations versus industry realities
One of the examples presented was Bacillus velezensis A6, the basis of an organic biostimulant that protects against avocado root rot and may help reduce irrigation by around 20%. This transfer of knowledge from the University of Granada has led to the creation of the spin-off VitaNtech Biotechnology.
From the business sector, PI AgSciences presented Pro + Pre, a strategy combining Harpin αβ protein and PREtec technology to bring together stimulation and activation of the tree’s systemic resistance mechanisms.
The water debate also included the perspective of irrigation communities. The Comunidad General de Regantes del Bajo Guadalfeo once again raised a long-standing demand for the area: the construction of the Rules dam pipelines.
Greater precision for an expanding market
The congress also demonstrated how data and new technologies can help fine-tune decision-making in the field. Alongside data analysis to improve crop management, issues such as alternate bearing and its effects on quality, fruit size and ripening were also addressed.
Among the technologies presented was a solution from Sunforest Europa, which showcased equipment for measuring the fruit’s dry matter content and determining the optimum harvest time. The aim is to ensure that avocados reach consumers with the expected texture and flavour characteristics.
