Mission Produce Inc. of Oxnard, CA has announced plans to ramp up its Columbian avocado production within the next two years. The announcement was made prior to the World Avocado Congress, held in Medellin, Columbia in late September.
The company partnered in 2017 with Cartama, one of the country’s largest avocadoo growers, according to a news release.
“Colombia will provide us with an added source of year-round, high-quality fruit,” Mission Produce president and CEO Steve Barnard said in the release. “We will also continue partnering with Cartama to support volume and growth. We are replicating our vertically-integrated, cutting-edge business model in this country.”
The goal is to plant 1,000-1,500 hectares (about 2,500-3,700 acres) of avocado trees in Colombia to supply domestic and international markets, including the U.S. and Europe, Barnard said.
Colombia’s location makes it ideal for producing avocados because of its growing conditions, market accessibility and logistical abilities.
“Colombia is unique in that it offers a year-round supply of fruit. Our country will act as strong source for global avocados in the coming years,” Cartama CEO Ricardo Uribe said in the release.