Green giant: how Israel became a world power in avocado cultivation

Despite boycott concerns, Israel's avocado exports are set to reach a record 170,000 tons this year, 20,000 more than last year. The harvest is expected to be 280,000 tons, more than half of which are Hass, BL, Ettinger, GEM, and Pinkerton varieties. Key success factors: a strategic seasonal window (September-May), logistical proximity to Europe, and technological superiority in agrotechnology.

Israel's avocado exports will break a record this year, reaching 170,000 tons — 20,000 more than last season. The total harvest is expected to be 280,000 tons (230,000 last year), more than half of which will be the sought-after varieties Hass, BL, Ettinger, GEM, and Pinkerton. The data comes from a review by the company Galil-Export, published on September 18. The CEO of Avocado-Gal in Kiryat Shmona, Amir Bahar, forecasts an "absolute record yield": nearly 70% of the fruit will go for export based on orders placed many months ago. Despite the war, the team, including Druze women, Bedouins, and residents of the north, worked without interruption. Megan Shenhav from Kibbutz Dafna, where about 900 dunams are dedicated to avocados, plans to expand the plantations, noting that the climate and growing demand dictate priorities. Israel's key competitive advantages: a "strategic seasonal window" (September-May) when supplies from South America decrease, logistical proximity to Europe ensuring freshness, and technological leadership in agrotechnology, including the development of new varieties.