After 13 years, the Philippines has finally gained access to Japan’s lucrative market for Hass avocados.
The Philippines is the first country in Asia to export Hass avocados to Japan.
In a statement over the weekend, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Japan approved the export of Philippine-grown Hass avocados which the agency said could lead to opportunities in other international markets for the fruit.
Glenn Panganiban, director of the Bureau of Plant Industry said, the inclusion of Hass avocados in the Philippine export portfolio to Japan, which includes bananas and pineapples, is the culmination of over a decade of effort, with initial access requests dating back to 2011.
The Philippines’ agricultural exports to Japan are experiencing an upward trend.
In 2023, the Philippines exported $1.1 billion worth of agri-fisheries products to Japan, generating a trade surplus of $990 million.
The Hass variety, favored for its smaller size and pebbly skin that turns purplish-black when ripe, is particularly well-suited to Japanese preferences.
Japan is a major importer of Hass avocados, with imports valued at $160 million (61,000 metric tons) in 2023. Key suppliers include Mexico, Peru, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
The global market for Hass avocados is projected to reach $18 billion by next year.
