ISLAMABAD: Pakistan can earn sizable foreign exchange by promoting avocado cultivation on commercial scale, as the fruit is in great demand worldwide.
Owing to its nutrient profile, avocado is one of the most popular fruits on the global market and is regarded as a superfood. It is uncommon in Pakistan and usually imported by superstores and sold to a limited number of people at a price.
Talking to WealthPK, Senior Scientific Officer at the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) Dr. Nur Ullah said, “Aside from its smooth, creamy, and delicious flesh, avocado fruit is a favourite because of its special vitamin profile, which places it among the superfoods. The best growers and exporters of the fruit are Peru, Mexico, and California, US.”
“In Pakistan, both grafted (vegetatively grown) and non-grafted (seed grown) avocado plants are available, but it is crucial to remember that grafted plants are superior to non-grafted ones since they are more true to type. By this, we mean that the taste, shape, or color of the fruit may differ from the mother tree from which the seed is obtained owing to cross-pollination in non-grafted plants,” Dr. Nur Ullah added.
“Furthermore, fruit-bearing is not guaranteed. With a high plant mortality rate, the un-grafted plant may produce fruit after 5 years, 10 years, and 13 years, or not at all whereas grafted plants typically begin to produce fruit after 3 to 5 years of plantation,” he said.
“Hass and Lula grafted avocado trees have been successfully cultivated in Pakistan in Sargodha, Lahore, Sukkur, and even Charsadda in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Hass is an export variety,” he added.
“Since no concerted efforts have been made to increase avocado production for export, the local crop ends up rotting in the fruit stands,” said the NARC scientist.
“Avocado plant requires adequate drainage, water availability, and warm, humid weather without frost. Since they grow to be as large as mango trees, the trees require space between them. They are often planted in hilly areas for good drainage and to prevent the cold from settling in the lowlands,” he said.
“Avocado plantlets should be planted in the Khareef season, shielded from frost for three years, and should bear the fruit in October or November. Fruit setting takes place a few months after flowering. They do not require a specific soil type; however, the soil drainage system should be optimal,” he said.
“In Pakistan, avocado is also known as ‘Makhan Phal’ or ‘Magar Nashpati’ (Alligator pear). A place for avocado cultivation should be chosen by the government,” he said.
To increase avocado plantation, local farmers should be trained and assisted. The government should simultaneously announce a tender to set up services for sorting, packing, and storing avocados by export standards,” he said.
Since avocados are such an expensive and popular fruit, many businesses would scramble to obtain fresh supplies. To save water and boost productivity, the government may also ask the sorting business to install drip irrigation systems for avocado plants. All the avocados should be exported from that area directly. In this way, local farmers can profit handsomely from this “green gold,” and Pakistan can boost exports while also introducing innovative agricultural and food sorting technologies.
-INP
