Background

Avocados (Persea americana) are a fruit and not a vegetable. They are thought to have originated in Mexico and Central and South America. Avocado trees were first planted in Florida in 1833 and then in California in 1856. Today California accounts for the majority (90 percent) of U.S. avocado production, followed by Florida (9 percent) and Hawaii (1 percent) (FASS 2008).

The dominant variety of avocado grown in California is the Hass variety, while Florida growers typically produce larger, less oily West Indian or Mexican varieties including Booth, Lula and Taylor. California and Hawaiian avocados are marketed year round and Florida’s market is from June through March (NASS 2008).

Certain varieties, such as the Hass, have a tendency to bear well only in alternate years. After a season with a low yield, due to factors such as cold (which the avocado does not tolerate well), the trees tend to produce abundantly the next season. This heavy crop depletes stored carbohydrates, resulting in a reduced yield the following season, and thus the alternate bearing pattern becomes established.  February 2008 . . . Avocados

Marketing

• Agribusiness Online - This site provides an overview of national and international production, and import and export markets.
• Avocados: A Brief Introduction into the Complexities of an Agribusiness Sector, California Polytechnic State University, Santa Ana College and United Agribusiness League - This web tutorial focuses on a single commodity: California avocados. It was developed as part of the "Partnership to Promote Diversity in Food System Education" project. 
• Avocado Situation and Outlook for Selected Countries, FAS, USDA, 2006.
• AvocadoSource.com - World production information, country links, research documents and on-line resources.  
• The California Avocado Commission - This trade organization positions California avocados for success in the marketplace. The site provides merchandising, media foodservice and retail training information or links; promotional campaigns; a business review news section; and information on international strategic partnerships.
• The California Avocado Society - This trade organization has a weekly newsline, terminal prices, projected pricing movements and other information for packers and handlers.  
• China Agricultural Data, Agricultural Issues Center, University of California, 2001 - Information on production, cost of production and trade.
• Florida Avocado, Portal to Florida-Agriculture.com, a state industry group - The site contains bulletins, industry information and brochures in Spanish and English.
• Florida Avocados, Marketing Orders, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), USDA.
• Fruit and Tree Nuts Outlook, ERS, USDA, 2007.
• Fruits and Vegetables: Enhanced Federal Efforts to Increase Consumption Could Yield Health Benefits for Americans, General Accounting Office Report Number 02-657, 2002.
• Hass Avocado Research and Promotion Programs, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), USDA.
• Mexican Hass Avocado, Newsroom, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
• Mission Produce - This Web site that covers production and marketing-related news, field representative reports, current agronomic conditions, weather updates and food market trends.
• Target Marketing - California Avocado Commission presentation on targeted marketing to grocery stores and other retailers. 
• U.S. Government Printing Office: Avocados, U.S. Govt. Printing Office - Information on avocado production, marketing, standards, packaging, importation, etc.
• World Avocado Situation and Outlook, FAS, USDA, 2005.
• World, U.S. and Florida Avocado Situation and Outlook, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, 2005 - This article highlights the major trends and developments in the world, United States and Florida avocado industries from 1996 to 2005.

Production

• Avocado, Center for New Crops and Plant Products, Purdue University.
• Avocado, Integrated Pest Management guidelines, University of California, Davis. 
• Avocado, University of Hawaii Extension. 
• Avocado Fruits, California Rare Fruit Growers.
• Avocado production, exports soar to feed growing demand north of the border, The Brownsville Herald (Texas), February 2008.
• Avocado: Recommendations for Maintaining Postharvest Quality, University of California, 2006. 
• Diversified Avocado Products - Mexican manufacturer of pureed avocado products. It includes an informative listing of food safety, packaging and other quality control specifications.
• Florida Avocado Production and Profitability Analysis, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, 2005.   
• Florigin, Limited - British manufacturer of sliced-frozen, kosher and pureed avocado products imported from Mexico. This site has an informative listing of food safety, packaging and other quality control specifications. 
• PlantFacts, Ohio State University - This Web site provides a full-text search engine of all extension and academic department information from all land-grant universities in the United States. Additionally, there are significant image and video databases, a FAQ database and a glossary.
• United States Is World’s Third Largest Avocado Producer, Fruit and Tree Nuts Outlook, Economic Research Service, USDA, 2006.

Businesses/Case Studies

• Business.com Grower/Producer Listing  - This is a listing of growers, packers and marketers of avocados for national and international distribution.
• Calavo Growers, Inc., Santa Paula, California - The company packs and markets about 40 percent of California's avocado crop.
• Index Fresh - This company incorporated in 1929 as a grower-owned cooperative. Avocados were introduced into the product line in the 1950s. As the industry began to flourish, avocados became Index’s primary product. In response to changes in the avocado industry, Index converted from a grower-owned cooperative to a grower-owned corporation in 1999.
• Industry Structure and Marketing of California Avocados, 1995 - Case study by a producer and packer on the structure of the California industry and how it impacts grower returns.
• Prime Produce International, Orange, California - This produce company specializes in sourcing, packing and sales of quality avocados. Avocados are loaded at its packing houses and cold storage facilities in California, Texas, Florida and New Jersey.

Links checked February 2008.