Premium produce · Avocados
Hass avocados in bulk: maturity, count and origin come before price
How do buyers source avocados in bulk?
To source avocados in bulk, decide the variety and end use (ripening programme, retail or processing), specify minimum dry matter at harvest and the test method, the count per carton with net weight, the ripeness stage on arrival and acceptable origins. Origins differ in timing: USDA reports that most of Peru's 2024 avocado exports shipped between March and August, and that Hass accounts for about 97% of Mexico's production.
What “premium” means in a wholesale avocados specification
- Minimum dry matter (or oil content) at harvest, with the test method and sample size
- Uniform count per carton and an agreed net weight
- Ripeness stage on arrival that matches your ripening room or customer
- Skin and internal defect tolerances, checked on cut samples
Variety and end use
Hass dominates international trade, but green-skin varieties exist for some markets. A ripener needs firm, mature fruit it can trigger; a food-service buyer may want ready-to-eat stages; a processor buys on flesh yield. Decide the use first — it changes the specification.
Grade and reference standard
UNECE FFV-42 and Codex CXS 197-1995 (avocados). Both standards set minimum maturity requirements and quality classes. Many buyers add a minimum dry-matter figure and a test method in the contract; agree who tests, when and on how many fruit. UNECE standards list
Origin and season — what the sources say
Peru · Mainly March–August (2024)
Most of Peru's avocado exports in 2024 occurred between March and August.
Mexico · Confirm by state and flowering
Industry sources report Hass accounts for 97% of Mexico's avocado production.
Mexico → United States · —
Michoacán and Jalisco produce 85% of Mexico's avocados by volume and are the only states authorized to export to the United States.
Avocados are produced in both hemispheres, so year-round programmes usually combine origins. Ask each exporter for expected shipping weeks and maturity at the start and end of their season — early and late fruit behave differently in ripening.
Where avocados moved in 2024: importers, exporters and hubs
Avocados, fresh or dried (HS 080440), 2024. Values as published by WITS / UN Comtrade, checked 22 October 2026. They show demand and supply concentration — not stock, suppliers, prices or next season's volumes.
| Reporter | US$ million | Million kg |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 3,876.5 | 1,217.2 |
| European Union | 2,616.4 | not reported |
| Netherlands | 1,298.5 | 382.2 |
| France | 696.4 | 202.2 |
| Spain | 665.3 | 261.8 |
| Germany | 585.4 | 163.1 |
| United Kingdom | 378.6 | 134.3 |
| Canada | 307.3 | 112.9 |
| Japan | 144.2 | 47.9 |
| China | 122.4 | 49.0 |
| Reporter | US$ million | Million kg |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 3,828.2 | 1,190.4 |
| Peru | 1,247.0 | 570.3 |
| Netherlands | 1,114.8 | 335.8 |
| Spain | 463.1 | 139.0 |
| European Union | 377.5 | not reported |
| Israel | 354.6 | 112.5 |
| Chile | 313.3 | 106.8 |
| Colombia | 310.0 | 138.6 |
| Morocco | 219.7 | 73.8 |
| South Africa | 204.6 | 82.8 |
| Kenya | 160.8 | 129.7 |
How to read these tables
- The Netherlands appears among both the largest importers and the largest exporters in the same year — the pattern of a trading and logistics hub that receives fruit and ships much of it on. Its import value is not Dutch consumption, and adding it to other European countries' imports counts the same fruit twice.
- Spain also appears on both lists, so part of its trade is fruit passing through rather than final demand or local production.
- The European Union is reported as one bloc alongside its member states; do not add the EU row to the country rows.
- These values show where fruit moved in 2024. They are not a list of available stock, suppliers or prices, and they do not forecast next season.
Where avocados are imported: priority markets and who regulates entry
The main destination markets in the 2024 UN Comtrade importer table, with the official bodies whose rules apply at entry. Use it to choose a destination and to check the import documents before you send a request.
| Market | 2024 imports (US$ million, rank) | Role in 2024 trade | Official bodies to check | Our import guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 3,876.5 · #1 | Importer | Import guide | |
| Netherlands | 1,298.5 · #3 | Importer and top-10 exporter (hub or producer) | Import guide | |
| Spain | 665.3 · #5 | Importer and top-10 exporter (hub or producer) | Import guide | |
| Germany | 585.4 · #6 | Importer | Import guide | |
| United Kingdom | 378.6 · #7 | Importer | Import guide | |
| Japan | 144.2 · #11 | Importer | Import guide | |
| China | 122.4 · #12 | Importer | Market profile | |
| Hong Kong, China | 67.6 · #18 | Importer | Market profile | |
| South Korea | 36.9 · #25 | Importer | Import guide | |
| Saudi Arabia | 29.6 · #29 | Importer | Import guide |
Values and ranks are copied from the 2024 WITS / UN Comtrade importer table for HS 080440 (the rank counts the EU bloc row). Markets ranked below 30 are left out. Past trade only — not stock, prices or a forecast. Entry rules change: confirm them with the official body for each consignment. Source table
The United Arab Emirates did not report 2024 data to UN Comtrade, so it is not ranked here; see our UAE and Saudi Arabia import guide. Import guide
Planning cold storage or reefer capacity for these imports?
Cold rooms, ripening and temperature-controlled warehousing are projects in their own right. ColdMatch, our specialist cold-chain platform, handles that planning.
Avocados specification worksheet
Fill what you know; leave the rest blank. Your answers are copied into the request form for you to check — nothing is sent from this page, and no supplier is promised to meet every point.
Blank fields stay blank in the form.
Cold chain and packing
- Agree the carrying temperature and whether controlled atmosphere is used for the voyage
- Ask for a logger per container and state who downloads it on arrival
- Plan ripening-room capacity for the arrival cadence you request
- Specify how long fruit may wait between discharge and your ripening room
Documents to check
- Phytosanitary certificate under the IPPC framework
- Market-access protocol or approved packhouse list where your destination requires one
- Certificate of origin where a trade agreement applies
- Residue or food-safety certificates your buyers require
Global B2B Group is committed to conducting its own activities in accordance with applicable law. It facilitates sourcing and RFQs and does not itself produce, manufacture, export or sell the listed products, or approve them on behalf of any authority. Suppliers are responsible for the products and shipments they offer and supply meeting the requirements of the origin and destination countries — for example safety, quality, labelling, traceability, sanitary or phytosanitary certificates and export documents, where relevant. Buyers remain responsible for their own import permissions, local requirements and due diligence. Requirements differ by product and country; this is not legal advice. Compliance & responsibilities · Terms
How our team evaluates supply options
After review, our team asks suitable suppliers to quote on your specification and to evidence the points below. Not every supplier can meet every specification; offers that differ are shown as alternatives, not ranked as equivalents. You decide which, if any, to take forward — introductions happen only with your approval.
- Dry-matter results from previous seasons and their test method
- Count distribution they can supply in your carton
- Ripening behaviour reported by previous buyers (references you can contact)
- Approval to export to your destination
Prices are provided after your specification is reviewed; we do not publish avocados prices or stock.
Searching for one of these?
Common buyer searches this page answers: Hass avocado bulk importer · avocado exporter by origin · Peru Hass avocados March–August · avocado count 16–22 container programme.
Buyer questions
- Is the Netherlands a large avocado market or a hub?
- In 2024 UN Comtrade data published by WITS, the Netherlands imported US$1.30 billion of avocados and exported US$1.11 billion. Appearing on both lists marks a trading and logistics hub: its imports are not Dutch consumption, so do not add them to other European countries' imports.
- Which countries exported the most avocados in 2024?
- WITS / UN Comtrade lists Mexico (US$3.83 billion), Peru (US$1.25 billion), the Netherlands (US$1.11 billion, a trading hub), Spain (US$463 million) and the EU as a bloc (US$378 million); South Africa exported US$204.6 million (82.8 million kg). These are past trade values, not available stock.
- When do Peruvian avocados ship?
- USDA reports that most of Peru's avocado exports in 2024 occurred between March and August. Confirm the weeks for your volume with each exporter; timing varies by region and year.
- Which Mexican states can export avocados to the United States?
- USDA reports (March 2026) that Michoacán and Jalisco are the only states authorized to export avocados to the United States. Other destinations have their own market-access rules.
- Why does dry matter matter?
- Dry matter at harvest is a common maturity measure linked to eating quality. Stating a minimum and the test method lets every supplier quote against the same maturity.
- Do you publish avocado prices?
- No. Pricing is provided after our team reviews your specification and suppliers respond. Assisted sourcing applies from USD 250,000 per year or season.
Guides and other premium products
- Buyer's guide: premium produce and seafood at scale
- A commercial buyer's guide to wholesale avocados
- Avocado, cherries and tomatoes: specification checklist
- Optical sorting and grading for premium fruit: what to specify
- Importing cherries and avocados into Japan: quarantine rules by origin
- Importing fresh produce into the UAE and Saudi Arabia: documents and registration
- Premium produce sourcing checklist
- Wholesale fresh produce sourcing
- Buyer profile: varieties, UNECE grades and storage
Submit your avocados requirements
Free for buyers. Assisted sourcing from USD 250,000 per year or season; smaller requests stay on file without supplier outreach. Global B2B Group is not a grower, exporter, importer or seller — suppliers remain responsible for product, compliance and documents.
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