Zimbabwe avocado exports last season exceeded projections, reaching 8,180 tonnes, according to the Horticulture Development Council (HDC).
In Zimbabwe, avocados are being commercially grown in the Eastern Highlands, with export prospects to the rest of Africa, Europe and Asia, according to ZimTrade, the country’s export trade promotion body.
The southern African country is the fifth largest exporter of avocados in Africa.
HDC chief executive officer Linda Nielsen told NewsDay Farming that the country exported 5 180 tonnes of first-grade fruit last year. An additional 3 000 tonnes of the second grade were exported for oil production reports www.thestandard.co.zw
“Zimbabwe avocado export season has exceeded production estimates. The 2022 season has seen on average across the sector a pack out or recovery percentage of 60-70%,” Nielsen said.
“This could have been higher but due to the unforeseen heavy influx of Peru's fruit into the European Union, most producers reluctantly had to slow down on picking in anticipation of better pricing later in the season. However, as a result this extends the harvesting season thereby exposing fruit to unfavourable conditions such as ripening, insect damage and some physiological damage.”
Nielsen revealed that Zimbabwe can expect an upward trend in avocado production in the medium term, with 400 hectares of newly-established plantations coming into production with a conservative yield of 12 tonnes per hectare. She said an additional 4 800 tonnes could be expected bringing up a total of nearly 10 000 tonnes of fruit exported by the year 2025.