In KwaZulu-Natal the first Pinkertons have been harvested and some growers have started on their Hass crop which has been maturing quicker as a result of the mild winter.
The Hass season is two to three weeks earlier from South Africa’s late avocado-producing area, quite a difference to last season which started up to two months later.
Much of South Africa experienced icy conditions and unusually widespread snowfall this week, but in KwaZulu-Natal their subtropical climate holds sway.
“To date we haven’t yet had a decent frost. The sugarcane is still relatively green, and we’re still mowing around some of the orchards. Around Richmond, Baynesfield, Harding, Ixopo the winter has really been very mild,” says Athol Currie, regional manager of The Fruit Farm Group South Africa’s subtropical operations.
Athol Currie, The Fruit Farm Group South Africa's regional manager of subtropical operations
Young trees blurring alternate bearing patternThe first Pinkertons are exported, making up around 10% of the eventual export crop from this area which traditionally holds out until Peru’s avocado exports to Europe drop off around mid-August before exporting in earnest.
He expects the avocado crop to be much in line with last year.
There are mixed opinions within the avocado industry: is this an off-year or not?
Athol reckons that all of the young trees that have been coming to bearing age, have muddied the alternate bearing pattern, and the phenomenon is not as apparent as it used to be.
“I expect that as trees get older, the alternate bearing pattern will start to come into play again.”