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Sustainable Growing

The growth season of avocados changes depending on the region. There are mainly two avocado growth seasons – in the northern hemisphere, for example in Spain or Colombia, the season will be from around November to February. In the south, in countries such as Peru or South Africa, the growth season will be from May to September.

The growth of avocados continues to become more and more sustainable with an ever-reducing ecological footprint. This, together with its high nutritional value makes avocados a more sustainable and healthier alternative to many animal-based products.

HOW AVOCADOS GROW

AVOCADOS ARE GOOD
FOR THE PLANET

Avocados have a much more positive ecological footprint than often believed – the fruit’s water and carbon footprints are significantly lower than those of a wide variety of daily consumed foods. And over the last decade the industry has been adopting new technologies and innovations that further support sustainable agricultural practices.

Carbon footprint
Water footprint
Biodiversity
Clean Fruit
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Avocados are good
for the local communities

Avocado production supports the livelihoods of millions of people around the world. It boosts employment, reduces poverty, and contributes significantly to the economies of many grower countries.

Economy
Communities
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AVOCADO FARMING MEETS STRINGENT CERTIFICATION IN EUROPE

There is a variety of globally-recognised certifications that avocado growers and exporters must meet in order to export the fruit to Europe. These certifications ensure that the industry operates according to the most stringent ethical and sustainable farming practices. These include:

Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA)

GLOBALG.A.P

The Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard
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HOW AVOCADOS GROW

After the avocado seeds are planted, it typically takes a few weeks for them to germinate. Once the seedling grows into a young tree, it can take around three to four years for fruit to grow, with significant harvests coming as the tree reaches maturity in seven to ten years.

These evergreen avocado trees thrive in warm climates, from tropical to subtropical. When the avocado fruit reaches maturity, but before it fully ripens, it is harvested. Usually, avocados are harvested by hand, or with poles and clippers to reach higher-hanging fruit. It may also be that ladders or hydraulic platforms are used to enable pickers to reach higher branches. Picking the avocado by hand helps to avoid any damage to the delicate fruit.

Did You Know?

Avocados are one of the rare fruits that will not ripen on the tree? It has to be picked to start a chemical reaction at the stem that completes the ripening process!

Avocados have a much lower carbon footprint than animal-based food

Referring to the total amount of greenhouse gases generated during the lifecycle of a product, the carbon footprint of avocados is around 25 times less than that of beef, 10 times less than lamb or cheese, 7 times less than coffee, and comparable to that of other fruits. A UK-based study in the Journal of Environmental Management found that avocados produce 2.4kg CO2 equivalents per kg in their production process – roughly equal to plums and strawberries, and less than raspberries and mangoes.

Did You Know? – Taking a wider view, avocados currently only make up 0.031% of total world trade, a small fraction of global agricultural production. And avocado crops only represent 4 to 5 % of global production of vegetables and fruit so their environmental footprint is limited.

Myth: ‘Avocados are transported by plane.’

Wrong. Almost all avocados consumed in Europe are transported by ship from Latin America and Africa, not by plane.

Sea freight emits far less greenhouse gases than other transport – emissions are 25 times lower than vehicle transportation and a whopping 145 times lower than air freight. As a whole, sea transport accounts for a very small portion of global CO2 emissions.

There has been significant progress in reducing emissions further. The International Maritime Organisation has set a target to cut emissions by 50% by the year 2050 with innovations such as harnessing wind and solar power and building ships with more energy-efficient materials.

In recent years, avocado storage efficiency has been optimised with new packing boxes that allow for 21,120 kg per container, compared to bananas which can fit just 16,320 kg per container.

Avocado trees capture carbon

Like nearly all commercially grown crops, avocados have come under scrutiny for being grown as a monoculture. However, unlike many crops which must be replanted each year (such as soybeans or maize), avocado grow on trees which are perennial, meaning the trees can live for up to 70 years or even beyond, taking in carbon dioxide and converting to oxygen at a steady and consistent rate, continuously producing fruit season after season. 

Compared to annual crops, perennial tree crops are better for the environment as there is reduced soil erosion and increased carbon capture. Perennial trees remain on earth for several years across their lifespan, allowing them to grow to maturity and absorb carbon dioxide consistently. A mature avocado tree can absorb carbon dioxide at a rate of almost 22 kg per year, according to research from the University of Florida.

The water footprint of avocados is lower than many popular foods

While water consumption can be a contentious issue, the truth is that avocados consume more or less the same water as other fruits and vegetables, and far less than many very popular foods. Studies by the UNESCO-IHE Delft Institute for Water Education show that avocados have a global average water footprint 8 to 9 times less than beef, chocolate and ten times less than coffee. The same source shows that water consumption of chicken and butter also far outranks that of avocados.

According to a more recent study, published in the Journal of Environmental Management in 2019, the total water consumption of avocados has gone down today to around 800L/kg due to better water management and smart innovation technologies.

Myth: ‘Avocados consume a lot of water’

Wrong. Compared to other popular foods such as beef, chocolate and coffee, avocados consume far less water- up to nine or ten times less litres of water used for every kilo grown. In areas of high rainfall, such as regions of Colombia and South Africa, avocados often require no irrigation to grow, instead relying on rainwater. 

 

In other areas, where there is less rainfall, innovative technologies are being used to reduce water consumption.
Over the last 10 years, innovations in water supply technologies such as sensors to measure aspects of soil moisture, sap flow, and water potential, have enabled more precise irrigation and reduced irrigation up to 50%.

Advanced technology to reduce water consumption

Depending on where avocados are grown, water consumption can fluctuate significantly. In many leading grower regions that experience high rainfall, such as Colombia, Dominican Republic and Kenya, avocados can obtain almost all of the water they need directly from rain, with only 10 litres of irrigation per kilo.

In regions with less rainfall like Chile, Spain and Peru, where more irrigation is needed, advanced drip irrigation and other smart water supply technologies have substantially lowered water consumption and continue to reduce the water footprint of avocado farming. The last 10 years have seen huge developments in digital agriculture using agronomic algorithms, sensors, AI and the cloud to monitor the soil, plants and weather to calculate exactly how much water is required and when. Programs using digital agriculture technology in small farms in Chile have seen a reduction in water use of 25% while farms in Spain have seen a reduction in water use of up to 50%. These systems continue to be taken up around the world among both large and smallholder farms.

Finally, in areas which remain affected by ongoing droughts, caused by climate change, we are witnessing a migration to locations that are better suited to sustainable avocado farming, where the plants naturally need less irrigated water.

According to a more recent study, published in the Journal of Environmental Management in 2019, the total water consumption of avocados has gone down today to around 800L/kg due to better water management and smart innovation technologies.

Avocados and Biodiversity

The majority of avocado plantations are biodiverse, able to support a breathtaking variety of plant and animal species. This usually requires a combination of native trees, shrubs, and cover crops that promote healthy soils through capturing nutrients, retaining water and preventing erosion.

There are several examples from around the world of avocado producers using their plantations to actively restore the quality of the land which had been degraded by livestock and annual crop planting. Smallholder farms in Kenya and Zambia have been able to make long-term improvements in land use, carbon sequestration, and water resource sustainability as a result of the high-value avocado crop. Meanwhile, in Colombia, a significant producer has worked with the local government in the Sonsón municipality to conserve a nationally protected area within their avocado orchards, with the overall goal of planting over 20,000 indigenous trees.

Avocados are one of the “cleanest” foods

Avocados themselves are a very “clean” fruit as only a very small amount of pesticide is required during the growing process. They also have a much lower volume of pesticide residue in comparison to other fruits and vegetables. 


Taking top place in the Environmental Working Group’s list of Clean Foods in 2024, avocados were acclaimed as the cleanest fruit with the lowest pesticide residue. The fruit’s thick, protective skin ensures that little pesticide is needed during production, and that any residue left on the fruit is significantly low, especially when compared to other produce like strawberries, spinach, pears and peppers. According to analysis from the US Department of Agriculture, less than 2% of avocado samples show any detectable pesticide whatsoever, among the lowest examined.

Myth: ‘Avocados are full of pesticides’

Wrong. Due to their thick skins, avocados are naturally protected against many diseases.. Very few pesticides are used during production, and according to a study by the Environmental Working Group, avocados are the cleanest fruit in comparison to other fruits and vegetables.

Positive impact on local economy

For many producer countries, such as Peru, Chile and South Africa, growing and exporting avocados contributes significantly to their local economies. In creating jobs and fostering technical knowledge among farmers and their employees, the production and export of avocados supports the livelihoods of millions and has helped to lift people out of poverty..

As avocados are a higher-value crop, their farming can foster technical skills – as well as command higher wages – than is the case with many other agricultural crops. For example, in Chile, the third-largest supplier of avocados to Europe, a study commissioned by the government found that the national avocado industry had generated around 35,000 jobs and contributed to the reduction of poverty amongst the population, particularly in rural towns and communities. 

The report also revealed that workers on the Hass avocado plantations receive a higher than median monthly income, and benefits including food, transportation and social services, not only for the worker but their families too.

With job growth and higher incomes, avocado production has a track record of lifting local communities out of poverty. Peru, Europe’s largest supplier of avocados, has experienced huge growth in its agricultural sector in the past three decades.  The International Monetary Fund states that agricultural exports, specifically citing avocados, have significantly contributed to a reduction in poverty in some rural regions from 80% in 2004 to 36% in 2018.

Positive impact on local communities

Many of the World Avocado Organisation’s biggest members often work with smaller domestic growers, allowing these smaller growers to access global markets and international buyers.


Local communities stand to benefit from these ‘outgrower programmes’. For example, as farmers began growing avocados in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania, the country’s first commercial, international grade avocado producer was established in 2007. This producer set up contracts with smallholder farms, offering more secure, long-term employment for over 2000 farmers, and a pathway to selling their avocado produce globally.

Education projects and upskilling initiatives can also improve the lives of workers. Many farms offer their employees the chance to take part in training programmes to enhance their agricultural skills.Workers earn competitive salaries, enjoy paid holidays, access to daycare services and free meals for their young children.

Many grower countries are also experiencing a shift as avocados are produced for their own domestic consumption, as well as export. This means that they enjoy a steady supply of nutritious and delicious fruit for their own benefit, beyond economic growth.

Did You Know?

In South Africa, half of the country’s produced avocados are consumed locally, or processed for oil. In Chile, it’s estimated that local consumption stands at 30 to 35%.

Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA)

Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA) ensures ethical working conditions for employees at farms and fruit companies.

GLOBALG.A.P

GLOBALG.A.P, a United Nations recognised global standard, requires a grower or supplier to commit to good agricultural practices including food safety, fair and safe working conditions and environmental sustainability. It is required as standard for the sale of avocados in Europe.

The Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard

The Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard, recognises a farm or fruit company’s commitment to positive social, environmental, and economic impact while offering farmers a framework to improve their livelihoods and protect the environment.

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