The top leaders in avocado exports in 2024 was headed by Mexico and Peru.

Their sales grew at double-digit rates: sales rose 20% in the case of Mexico, to US$3.787 billion, and those of Peru increased 29%, to US$1.248 billion.

Leaders in avocado exports

In 2024, Mexico’s avocado production was 2.67 million tons. This amount places Mexico as the world’s largest producer.

Avocado is an oleaginous fruit, as it contains healthy fats, mainly monounsaturated fatty acids.

Below is the ranking of the world’s largest avocado exporters in 2024, in millions of dollars and year-on-year growth rates:

• Mexico: 3,787 (20 percent).
• Peru: 1,248 (29 percent).
• Netherlands: 1,235 (14 percent).
• Spain: 463 (12 percent).
• Morocco: 315 (not applicable, due to no previous exports).
• Colombia: 310 (54 percent).
• Chile: 292 (19 percent).
• Israel: 260 (0 percent).
• South Africa: 205 (42 percent).
• United States: 177 (38 percent).

Mexico’s comparative advantages

Here are the reasons why Mexico is a leader in avocado production, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture:

• The producing regions have a warm sub-humid climate. Temperatures range between 20 °C and 25 °C, optimal conditions for growing the fruit.
• Michoacán, the main producing state, is located in the Transmexican Volcanic Axis. This zone offers fertile, well-drained soils, which are present in more than 80% of the cultivated areas.
• The orchards are between 1,200 and 2,300 meters above sea level. This altitude allows for four overlapping blooms per year, which ensures constant production.
• Thanks to the climate, altitude and flowering cycles, Mexico can grow avocados in all seasons.
• The region receives an average annual rainfall of 163 cm. Sixty-one percent of the orchards depend on rainfall and 39% use drip irrigation, an efficient and growing technique.
• The Ministry of Agriculture has managed to maintain pest-free status in 88 municipalities and nine agroecological zones, covering more than 87% of the country’s avocado-growing area.