Stock up! Costa Rica could face severe shortage of avocados after import ban

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May 12^th, 2015 (InsideCostaRica.com) Costa Rica could soon face a severe shortage of avocados after the State Phytosanitary Service (SFE) of the Ministry of Agriculture (MAG) banned the import of the fruit from eight countries as well as the U.S. state of Florida due to the presence of a virus known as Avocado Sunblotch Viroid (ASBV) affecting the fruit in those countries.

The SFE announced last week that it would ban the import of avocados from Australia, Spain, Ghana, Guatemala, Israel, Mexico, South Africa, Venezuela and the U.S. state of Florida in order to protect the country’s own avocado crop from the disease.

The ban has the potential to cause a severe shortage of the fruit in the country.  Only 20% (14,000 tons) of total consumption is harvested in Costa Rica.  An additional 70,000 tons are imported, with Mexico being the country’s primary supplier.