In the Valle Cabildo, the oldest avocado growing region in Chile, we find the pioneers of organic avocado cultivation in Chile. The Apalta organic avocado oil (palta in Chilean Spanish means avocado) from Neo-Oils has been leading the way for farmers throughout Chile to protect the environment and improve their living standards.

Avocado farmers have traditionally had very little bargaining power over the price of their product in the market. It is determined at the point of sale, 1000’s of miles from the product’s origin, and the price set by the buyers must be accepted. Organic avocados on the other hand garner a higher price, and one that the farmer has more control over. With Americans being the largest consumers of Chilean avocados, our purchasing decisions have considerable impact on Chilean farmers and their land.

I alone consume enough Chilean avocados to keep a whole farm in business – being allergic to gluten and dairy, avocados are a staple in my diet. So I am ecstatic that I have yet another form in which to consume avocados – deep, rich, buttery avocado oil. And organic too!

Neo-Oils have over 48 hectares of organic avocados and they are committed to planting new as well as transitioning their 120 hectares of conventional groves. With about 500 trees per hectare, that is a heck of a lot of avocados. Avocados have few natural pests, but for the ones that do exist, Neo-Oils uses insect predators, like ladybugs, to naturally care for the grove. Groupings of beehives are liberally scattered throughout the groves for pollination. In fact the organic certifiers use the presence of bees as a sign of organic cultivation – bees suffer greatly from pesticide use.

Driving north from Santiago, after an hour or so, one enters avocado land, with the valley hills covered from base to tip with row upon row of avocado trees. It is quite striking to see these trees hanging from the steep hillsides – how is it humanely possible to plant them, let alone harvest them?! Frost is very damaging to avocados if it hits during the time of flowering, yet the trees are extremely tenacious, digging deep roots in unforgiving terrain. Planting the trees off the valley floor and up the valley walls protects the avocados from frost. But also necessitates hand-picking.

This hand-picking takes place from August to January, depending on the market price, and takes considerable human resources – one person can reasonably harvest 400 kilos of avocados a day. The fruit does not ripen on the tree, but will continue to grow until it is picked, as long as there is a consistent supply of water. Difference in color on recently picked avocados depends on the amount of sunlight the fruit was exposed to. The darker the skin, the more direct sunlight the avocado received.

Once harvested, the avocados are skinned, pitted, and immediately pressed to produce a deep emerald green extra virgin oil that has a multitude of uses. It’s scent and flavor are deliciously avocado-like, but not overpowering. It is excellent in salads or as a finishing oil on vegetable and fish dishes. Due to its high smoke point of 491° F, it is also fantastic to cook with, giving stir-fries a rich buttery flavor.

Avocado oil is new to the US market, but should not be difficult to incorporate into our diets. We are well versed on the wonders of olive oil, and avocado oil has similar uses and is equally beneficial to our health – high in antioxidants, vitamin E, and Oleic acid. Also similar to olive oil, refining the oil destroys many of its health and flavor properties and can create trans-fats. So when purchasing avocado oil, look for the rich emerald green color of extra virgin. And while you’re at it, make it organic!