The Ministry of Rural Development of Jalisco (Seder) revealed that Jalisco was the second largest exporter of avocados in the country, only surpassed by Michoacan.
The agency reported that the state produced 100,000 tons of avocado per year on 14,976 hectares spread over 37 municipalities.
The head of Seder, Hector Gutierrez Padilla, said the avocado production had grown due to the modernization of their crops.
"An orchard in Michoacan has an average density of one hundred trees while an orchard in Jalisco has 470 trees," he said.
Jalisco expects to have a greater participation in avocado exports as soon the authorities of the United States issue a pest free area declaration for several municipalities.
The US is considered the most important market for avocados in the world among the producers of this fruit. Padilla Gutierrez inaugurated the new packing facility of the Cerritos Group in Zapotlan El Grande.
80 million pesos were invested in the facility which will create 150 direct jobs. The facility has 5,000 square meters for handling fifty 22-ton containers per week.
The commercial value of Mexican avocados amounts to 20,715 million pesos, 17,452 million of which are contributed by Michoacan and 1,393 million by Jalisco.
Data
The five leading avocado producing municipalities in the state are Zapotlan El Grande, Concepción de Buenos Aires, Tamazula, Tapalpa, and Zapotiltic.
