Italy is a net importer of avocados. The country is covered by a Mediterranean climate with cold, rainy winters and hot, dry summers in most areas. This kind of climate is suitable for limited avocado production. The average rainfall is about 1,000mm per year and temperatures can be as low as 8°C and as high as 30°C.
Majority of the avocados sold in Italy are found in supermarkets. The biggest number of consumers in the country is found in the cities of Rome, Milan and Naples. Smaller retail outlets, wholesale markets and street vendors around Italy also trade in smaller quantities of avocados.
Italy Avocado Imports
Imports of avocado in Italy were valued at about 140 million US Dollars in 2023. Compared to the previous year, it is an increase of 31%. The sharpest climb was from 2015 to 2016 when the import value rose from about 27 million US Dollars to around 39 million US Dollars.
Here are the total values in import of avocados in Italy between 2012 and 2023.
Avocado Price in Italy per kg
The cost of a kilo of avocados in Italy can be between 2 Euros (US2.03 dollars) and 3 Euros (US3.05 dollars). This is based on the average import price per kg. This wholesale price has spiked to about 3.1 Euros (US3.15 dollars) in the recent past.
Retail prices of avocado per piece vary from seller to seller. Italians can buy imported avocados for most part of the year because they are sourced from several nations. Market timing also determines the price range as late season avocados get a premium over early season avocados.
Avocado consumers in Italy can also find either good discounts or higher prices depending on the time of shopping. Being a seasonal fruit, avocado prices are adjusted based on supply. Italy imports a bulk of avocado during their summer months from June up to August. It brings in small amounts of avocado the rest of the year from other countries with some supply.
Avocado in Italy
Italy is gradually becoming a high-value avocado market. The country takes in commercial varieties such as Hass and Fuerte. But it also brings in minor commercial green skin varieties. Many avocado consumers in Italy prefer green skin types of avocado because of their lower price.
The type, quality and size of avocado determines its selling price. Even though the dark skin Hass avocado costs more, it is gaining in market share little by little. Avocados of mixed sizes are sold in the domestic market. Avocados exported to Italy are packed in both 4kg and 10kg cartons.
How to Make More Profit Importing Avocados in Italy
The avocado import business in Italy is profitable when logistical costs are reduced. Avocados from Kenya take a shorter transit time than those from South American countries that supply to Italy.
Here is a top avocado exporter in Kenya.
Freshela Exporters
Freshela is a Kenyan based company that engages in the sourcing, processing and exporting of avocados and other fresh produce.
Freshela is a proud exporter of Kenyan avocados. Our avocados are organically grown in the most ideal climatic conditions in Kenya.
We source avocados from our company farms and partner farms. Our partner farmers are proud and happy working with us.
Our avocados are cultivated with uncompromising dedication to excellence and freshness. We guarantee optimum maturity of avocados.
We give competitive pricing to our customers.
We use a modern grading machine to achieve desired avocado weight. The fruit is also graded to eliminate any with physical quality defects.
We pack avocado fruit in 4kg cartons for both air and sea freights. We use dry wooden pallets to pack the cartons. Each pallet for sea freight takes 276 cartons while each pallet for air freight takes 144 cartons.
All of our avocado packing is approved by FDA and is certified by HACCP Quality Assurance.
The avocados in our pack house go through accurate machine selection. The avocados are classified according to dry meter, size, colour and external skin defects.
After packing, we pre-cool our avocados to 5°C in our cold rooms. This reduces field heat immediately after packing.
This process conserves the weight of our avocados preventing them from softening, water loss and wilting. Long shelf life is guaranteed because our avocados stay fresh throughout the supply chain. Our customers are happy because of the high quality of avocado we deliver.
The pre-cooling process is in preparation for shipping. We maintain the cold temperatures and achieve consistent preservation by loading close to the cold rooms.
Our trained staff properly seal the refrigerated containers. Our quality assurance team then confirms before the containers leave the pack house. The avocados are now ready for export.
We ship in controlled atmosphere (CA) refrigerated containers (reefer.)
By working directly with avocado growers and cooperatives, we are able to deliver our produce within a short lead time. We believe that growers grow and exporters export. That is how our growers are able to do what they do best and in return we guarantee superior, quality produce.
Avocado imports have to first go through the Italian Customs and Monopolies Agency. They are then tested using certain food safety protocols set by the Directorate-General for Hygiene, Food Safety and Nutrition (DGISAN). The government of Italy sets the requirements for importers of horticultural produce like avocado through the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies.
Cartons of avocado must be labeled according to guidelines determined by the Ministry of Economic Development. Bilingual language, which includes Italian, is required on the label. Labels must include the following information:
- Name and address of producer
- Brand or trademark
- Country of origin
- Type of avocado and grade
- Storage instructions and temperature requirements
- Gross weight and number of avocados per carton
- Shelf life
- Harvest year and packing date
Avocados imported in Italy must undergo the pesticide maximum residue level (MRL) tests done by government laboratories. They should not exceed acceptable limits according to Codex, EU. DGISAN is responsible for the control of pesticides residue on avocado imports.