Avocado Production in Asia and the Pacific - United Nations in ...

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9. CONSTRAINTS IN AVOCADO PRODUCTION DEVELOPMENT The major constraints to avocado development are the following: - Poor marketing, handling, grading and packing - Low prices - Poor quality fruit and low yield - High harvesting losses due to premature harvesting and unsatisfactory harvesting techniques - Poor facilities for exporters - Lack of institutional support for pre-export quarantine The Horticultural Research and Development Institute of the Department of Agriculture has developed improved production packages and introduced new technologies for avocado, but these are seldom adopted by the farmers. However, even with the current marketing system and poor prices there is a considerable number of growers earning a good income from home gardens and small avocado orchards. Though new varieties were released and recommended in 1995, due to lack of a good extension system for fruit crops, these are still not very popular among growers. Also, there is very little contribution from the Export Development Board of Sri Lanka in promoting the export of avocado. The knowledge of the average consumer with regard to the nutritional value of avocado is still very poor. Until recently, the avocado was consumed with caution as the level of fat in fruits created some kind of misconception among the people that it was unhealthy to consume. However, with the propaganda launched by the Horticulture Research and Development Institute regarding its nutritional value and its ability to control heart diseases a better awareness was created among people. But it is still a matter of conjecture whether this nutritional information on the food value of the avocado has played a role in increasing per capita consumption. 10. GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND PLANS FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT To overcome the major constraints and to increase productivity, several steps have been taken under the new crop productivity programme launched by the Ministry of Agriculture. Under this programme, it is envisaged to increase the present acreage of 826 hectares to 1,930 by the year 2005. Though the present yields are as low as 14 t/ha, they could be projected to increase by the application of new production technologies to 18-20 t/ha by the year 2005. Thus, the present annual production of 1,154 tonnes is estimated to increase around 33,000 tonnes. Since the average consumer is familiar with this exotic fruit, consumption among the local population is expected to increase in the future. To achieve this target, the ongoing research programmes on performance of exotic varieties, development of phenological models for different agro-climatic regions, canopy management, improved agronomic packages, application of pest and disease control measures, development of post-harvest technology and new avenues for utilization of the fruit and its oil for the cosmetic industry, will be intensified. 55
Production of planting material of new varieties will be further expanded to meet the total target of 300,000 grafted plants. The ongoing 'top working' programme will be further popularized and intensified in areas where farmers currently depend on seedling trees. 11. CONCLUSIONS With the successful implementation of the 'crop productivity enhancement programme' it should be possible to overcome the major constraints, so as to achieve yearround production of high quality fruits in the future. This will give an opportunity to meet the local as well as the export market demand, thereby increasing the avocado farmers’ income as well. The consumers in Sri Lanka have become accustomed to avocado consumption over a long period of time. This positive fact is expected to underpin an increase in area and production during the next few years, using the newly recommended varieties. These varieties can be grown in upcountry Sri Lanka, where large commercial plantations are expected to be established by tea estates, in order also to promote export of fruits to the regional markets of Singapore, Hongkong and Japan. 56
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RAP PUBLICATION: 2000/09 AVOCADO PR
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Page FOREWORD ii
Page 6 and 7:
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS Minas K. Papad
Page 8 and 9:
WELCOME ADDRESS Prem Nath * It is a
Page 10 and 11: AVOCADO PRODUCTION IN AUSTRALIA Ant
Page 12 and 13: cultivar of the Guatemalan race and
Page 14 and 15: is good practice to cover the one s
Page 16 and 17: Australia. As it migrates into orch
Page 18 and 19: 8. POTENTIAL FOR AVOCADO PRODUCTION
Page 20 and 21: AVOCADO PRODUCTION IN CHINA Liu Kan
Page 22 and 23: Spacing The spacing varies with cli
Page 24 and 25: attacking young trees in Hainan. It
Page 26 and 27: 8. POTENTIAL FOR AVOCADO PRODUCTION
Page 28 and 29: will have a great potential market
Page 30 and 31: 2. PRESENT SITUATION OF AVOCADO CUL
Page 32 and 33: 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF ORCHARDS If an
Page 34 and 35: 7. POST-HARVEST HANDLING, STORAGE A
Page 36 and 37: AVOCADO PRODUCTION IN INDONESIA Sri
Page 38 and 39: 3. PRODUCTION OF PLANTING MATERIAL
Page 40 and 41: 9. GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND PLANS FO
Page 42 and 43: The avocado trees grown are all see
Page 44 and 45: AVOCADO PRODUCTION IN THE PHILIPPIN
Page 46 and 47: 227: The fruit is bottlenecked and
Page 48 and 49: Weeding and mulching Mulching of av
Page 50 and 51: Firstly, the avocado can be found g
Page 52 and 53: Table 2. Research Projects/Studies
Page 54 and 55: AVOCADO PRODUCTION IN SRI LANKA Mos
Page 56 and 57: 3. PRODUCTION OF PLANTING MATERIAL
Page 58 and 59: compost and cattle manure is the we
Page 62 and 63: AVOCADO PRODUCTION IN THAILAND Chal
Page 64 and 65: 4.3 Planting Planting is carried ou
Page 66 and 67: Table 1. Fruit Characteristics of S
Page 68 and 69: Royal Project Foundation helps avoc
Page 70 and 71: AVOCADO PRODUCTION IN VIETNAM Nguye
Page 72 and 73: Though avocado was introduced into
Page 74 and 75: Table 3. Rate of Fertilizer Use in
Page 76 and 77: without grading. To avoid partly th
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