New Colombia Avocado Board Promotes Colombian Hass Avocados

Veteran U.S. Commodity Board Leader Heads Organization

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Dec 14, 2020, 15:29 ET

ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- From the beautiful country of Colombia, renowned for its cut flowers and producing the world's richest coffee, comes another treasure: Hass avocados.

The Colombia Avocado Board (CAB) has recently been formed to promote the fruit grown in the country known for the myth of El Dorado.

Colombian avocado production gives US importers an additional unique and diverse source of the popular green fruit. The CAB is funded by grower volume assessments and industry support. The Medellin, Colombia-based Corpohass trade group represents Colombia's Hass growers and exporters.

"The Colombia Avocado Board will play an important role in bringing growers, exporters and importers together in a cohesive marketing effort which will benefit everyone throughout the distribution channel," says William Watson, managing director a produce veteran.

"As Colombian avocados become available for U.S. consumers, the CAB is positioning itself to be the source of Colombia avocado information and promotional support," says Jim Donovan, CAB chairman and Senior Vice President of global Industry Affairs for Mission Produce, Inc., Oxnard, Calif.

"Hass avocado growers and exporters in Colombia are smart to create the CAB to help the U.S. trade and consumers better understand their crop and its role in the marketplace," says Donovan. "As volume of Hass avocados from Colombia will increase the diversity of crop options for retailers and foodservice operators in the U.S., the CAB will grow to be meet the needs of avocado marketers as they educate consumers of the benefits of Hass avocados."

Logistically, Colombia fits U.S. avocado demand because of the quick transit times required for seaboard transit to both the U.S. East Coast and West Coast.

Europe and the U.S. are the biggest purchasers of Colombia avocados. From 2018 to 2019, Colombian exports to the U.S. grew 306% in pounds and 434% in dollars.

"The Colombia Avocado Board will provide new opportunities for the promotion of Colombian Hass avocados in the United States, the largest market in the world. This initiative will also reassure our commitment to increase sustainable production so that the exportable offer becomes even more competitive as it reaches wider and more demanding markets," said Flavia Santoro the President of Procolombia

Watson will bring experience from his time at the National Watermelon Promotion Board and the National Mango Board, both which he helped form.

SOURCE ProColombia