Vietnam is seeking to export avocados to the United States, the Southeast Asian country said on Thursday, after U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to shut the U.S.-Mexico border raised fears American consumers could see a shortage.
Avocado prices in the United States jumped by nearly 50% in April on fears that Trump would halt shipments from Mexico, which accounts for some 80% of its supply. Both processors and wholesalers began to stockpile the fruit as a result.
The United States imported more than 900,000 tonnes of Mexican avocados last year worth nearly $2.1 billion, 10 times the value it buys from the rest of the world, according to crop forecaster Gro Intelligence.
Avocados, typically used in guacamole or spread on toast, could be a high export earner for Vietnam, the government said in a statement on its website.
According to a report by Khanh Vu on Reuters, Avocado consumption is on the rise in Vietnam as living standards improve, fuelling interest amongst domestic buyers.
FILE PHOTO: A woman eats guacamole in this picture illustration, in Mexico City, Mexico April 2, 2019. REUTERS/Luis Cortes/File Photo