Avocado Farming In Kenya: What You Need To Know

Avocado farming in Kenya, as well as around the globe, is gaining prominence, mostly because of the nutritious benefits of the fruit and being that it is a very profitable income generator. The fruit is gaining popularity as a healthy super food and as such, the annual global demand is increasing at a faster rate than the annual global supply. This results in the fruit fetching high prices on the world market.

Kenya is ranked 6^th largest producer of avocados in the world and as such, there is a great deal of talk and action around avocado farming in Kenya. Even the government is making a lot of efforts to retain our reputation for good quality and sustainable production for both domestic and global market. 

Avocado farming is a long-term project that takes 2 years for the trees to come into production. To reap healthy rewards, a farmer needs to adopt specific practices so as to maintain a healthy plantation that yields top production for many years.

The avocado tree requires cool to warm temperatures, with the minimum not falling below 7°C and a maximum of 30°C (the optimum range is 15°C to 25°C). This climate is experienced in many areas that have traditionally not been growing avocado. But now with the opening up of the Hass avocado market, even these areas have taken on avocado farming for export. Only extremely high areas could be left out since the trees are not tolerant to frost, especially those adapted to humid tropics. The sensitivity of trees to low temperature is influenced by a wide range of factors including:

·          The age of the tree, its vigor, its growth stage and its health.

·          The duration and frequency of low temperature, and the speed with which they fall to near or below zero.

Temperatures that are constantly above 36°C also have disastrous effects.

Hass Avocado seedlings

Rainfall Requirement

Avocados are highly adapted to different rainfall conditions; however, the rain should be an average of 1,000–1,600mm per annum and well-distributed throughout the year.

Irrigation is essential where rainfall is not adequate. Although an avocado tree cannot tolerate waterlogged soil, it needs at least 25mm of water every week during periods of insufficient rainfall such as in eastern Kenya.

Too much rain during flowering leads to shedding of flowers resulting in significant reduction in production. Fungal diseases also normally become problematic in very wet weather.

A short period of dry weather of up to two months usually triggers flowering especially in tropical climates not subject to marked falls in temperature.

The avocado tree needs high relative humidity at flowering (70-80 per cent), then moderate levels during the fruit swelling stage. Too much humidity encourages the proliferation of pests and diseases such as thrips, scales, cercospora spot, scab and anthracnose.

Wind

The avocado is sensitive to strong winds, which may lead to breakage of branches or flowers and fruits drop. Whole trees may even be uprooted. Hot dry winds may cause desiccation of flower buds or abrasions.

Light

Avocado needs plenty of light, 2,000 hours of sunshine a year (average of 6 hours a day) are sufficient. Intense radiation causes scorching of leaves and fruits.

Soil

An avocado tree can grow successfully in a variety of soil types and in soil with acidic or alkaline pH levels, but the tree requires soil that has good drainage. Avocados are more sensitive to water-logging than citrus hence soils should be well-drained. Poorly drained soils are associated with the presence of the Phytophthora fungi, which causes root or stem-end rot. To manage this during this rainy season you can trenches at the edge of the farm to direct excess rain water off the farm.

Suitable soils are medium sandy loams with a pH range of 5.5 to 6.5.

Grafted Hass Avocado seedlings

Pollination

An avocado tree needs to cross-pollinate with another variety for optimal fruit set. Although avocado flowers have both male and female flower parts, each part functions at a different time during the day.

The trees are grouped into Type A and Type B, depending on the time of day their male and female flower parts are reproductively viable. Planting Type A tree and Type B tree increases successful pollination if enough insect pollinators, such as bees, are present.

Hass Avocado

Fuerte Avocado

               Fertilizers

To obtain good growth and high fruit yields, it is important to supply the necessary nutrients. Several factors should be taken into account when deciding on fertilizer rates.

The existing fertility of the soil should be determined. The age of the trees, fruit yields, the physical and chemical characteristics as a function of climate, determine nutrient losses through leaching, which affects uptake by the trees.

It is advisable not to top-dress with nitrogen in the first four to five months after transplanting. After this period, 60g of 26 per cent of Nitrate (N) fertilizer should be applied every three months when the soil is moist. About 15 to 30kg of well-rotten farm yard manure (FYM) should also be spread around the tree

The use of FYM is strongly recommended for young orchards since it improves physical characteristics of the soil and supplies nutrients to trees, promoting the uptake of micro-nutrients.

How to grow Avocadoes for Export

Cultivation Requirements

Land Preparation

This should be similar to the preparation of land for the other crops. In the case that it’s a newly cleared land, a farmer is advised to plant an annual crop for example, maize, peas or watermelon so as to achieve a good tillage of the cleared land. In the case of strong winds, ensure that there are necessary wind breakers such as hedges are in place.

Planting Materials

Avocados can be grown from either seedlings or from the seeds. However, Hass avocados, which are preferred in the export market, are best grown from grafted seedlings. Grafting improves the variety by increasing its resistance to diseases, hence increasing the yield and increases its adaptability to various soils. The seedlings should be inspected by a professional so as to ensure that they are free from diseases. If you want to be sure you are getting high quality grafted Hass avocado seedlings, buy them from Richfarm Kenya nurseries. 

Planting Holes

The standard spacing for grafted Hass avocado in Kenya is 5 by 5 meters. With this spacing, 150 avocado trees can be planted in an acre. However, tree spacing within the line can range from 3m to 5m while the space between the lines should be at least 5m and at most 7m. The best practice is to dig the holes in a straight line. This will make tending to the trees and harvesting easy. 

The holes should be at least 2 feet but can be up to 1m deep. Soil samples should be taken when digging the holes, while being careful not to mix the topsoil with the subsoil. Send the samples to a legitimate soil testing lab for pH testing.

Planting

The farmer should use two buckets of farmyard manure properly mixed with the topsoil, 250gm of double superphosphate fertilizer, and a certified insecticide to fill the planting holes. Planting should be after the onset rains when the rainwater has properly penetrated the soil. Irrigate the newly planted seedlings until the first shoots appear. Sometimes, the young grafted Hass avocado seedlings might need to be tied up with sticks to support them.  

Mulching

Thick organic mulch is recommended in young plants so as to reduce evaporation off the soil and prevent very high and low root temperatures and salinity build up. The mulch also reduces weed competition.

Pruning

Pruning starts at the planting stage when shoots from the rootstock of the grafted seedlings are removed in order to redirect all the growing energy to the top part. It is also done before flowering and upon completion of harvesting. Pruning allows light to penetrate the orchard, improves yield and provides a superior tree structure. We have extensively explained avocado pruning in this article: How to Prune and Train Avocado Trees for Maximum Production

Thinning

This involves removing some of the already formed fruits so as to reduce competition for nutrients. I know it’s a painful thing for a farmer to pluck off fruits that have already formed. However, it is necessary to do so in order to have a number of fruits that can be perfectly supported by the tree to grow to the desired large size.

Challenges Facing Avocado Farming

Pest And Diseases 

Diseases 

1. Avocado Root Rot

It is the most serious disease that affects the crop.

Causes: Fungal pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi, thrives in poor drainage conditions.

Symptoms: Pale and wilted leaves, branch die-back and small fruits are the consequences.

Management: It has been suggested that applying a layer of gypsum and a 10 to 15cm layer of an organic, coarse mulch underneath the avocado tree’s canopy, but several centimeters from the tree’s trunk, supplies calcium and suppresses the development of root rot.

2. Anthracnose

Causes: Pathogen Colletotrichum gloeosporioides,

Symptoms: infects an avocado tree’s fruit, flowers, small branches and foliage, leaving spots, lesions and decay. This disease thrives in areas of high humidity.

Management: Pruning limbs to at least 2 feet off the ground increases air circulation at the base of the tree and removing debris from underneath the tree prevents pathogens.

3. Bacterial Soft Rot 

Symptoms: Gray to black, mushy, foul smelling rot on fruit; fruti has darkened metallic sheen. Bacteria may be present on leaves but do not cause damage unless plant is stressed or bacteria enter the plant through a wound

Management: no treatment for disease; use certified seed; disinfected tools and cuttings; employ crop rotation; remove plant debris from soil.

Properly Planned and Managed Farm Pests

1. Avocado Thrips

Symptoms: Feeding scars on fruit; scars begin as scabs or leathery patches and spread across fruit; adult insect is orange-yellow in color with distinct brown bands and reaches 0.7 mm (0.03 in) in length

Cause: Insects. Insect thrives in cooler temperatures; insect may undergo 6 or more generations per year

Management: By addition of coarse organic mulch about 6 inches thick below trees may help to reduce survival of thrips pupating in soil; if insecticides are to be applied, a selective insecticide should be selected to reduce damage to populations of natural enemies; Sprays of Entrust are organically acceptable

2. MITES

Symptoms: tree dropping leaves and becoming defoliated causing sunburn damage to exposed bark and fruit; mites cause the development of circular chlorotic to brown spots on the undersides of the leaves and fruit surface; dense colonies of mites produce silk webbing which may appear as a silvery spot; large mite populations can cause the entire tree canopy to appear lighter in color.

Cause: Arachnid. Persea mites are most damaging on Hass and Gwen varieties.

Management: ensure the tree is adequately fertilized, pruned properly and irrigated to avoid unnecessary stress to the tree which can make them more susceptible to mite attack; persistent infestations may require treatment with an appropriate chemical; organic controls include several types of horticultural oil.

Harvesting

Harvesting starts at 3-4 years from planting but a good yield is obtained from the 6th year onwards. It is not easy to tell when the fruits are ready for harvesting unless they are of the varieties that change colour at maturity. Harvest a sample and keep at room temperature. If they soften within 7-10 days without shrivelling then the fruit of that age are ready for harvesting.

Hass Avocado Tree

Market 

As I covered earlier the government is making a lot of efforts to retain our reputation for good quality and sustainable production for both domestic and global market and make it a very profitable agriculture venture. Kenya's Horticulture Directorate (KEPHIS) temporarily halts from time to time the export of avocado varieties including Fuerte, Hass, Pinkerton and Jumbo to control the quality of fruits being exported. This helps to prevent the harvesting of under-ripe fruits and possible blacklisting by international buyers who are part of the big market for our Kenyan Hass avocadoes among others.

How to Get the Highest Hass Avocado Yield

If you need any help on avocado farming and to get high quality grafted Hass avocado seedlings, call Richfarm Kenya on 0724698357/0723213602

Make sure to also visit our Farmer's Resources Page to download a full guide on avocado farming in Kenya: it's free for download and you are also allowed to share the pdf file.

• Cost per seedling- ksh.150, Hass Avocado
• Seedlings per acre- 150 trees per acre
• Spacing- (standard tree spacing is 5m by 5m)
• Fruit price- Ksh. 200-220 per kg locally
• Yield- 200-500 avocadoes per tree after maturity ( from 4^th year)
• Common pests- mites, avocado thrips
• Common diseases- Anthracnose, bacterial soft rot, avocado root rot.
• Lifespan- deciduous

Hass Avocado Harvest

Frequently Asked Questions

• What are the climatic requirements for farming avocadoes in Kenya?
• What are the cultivation requirements in avocado farming?
• What are the common pests and diseases affecting avocado farming?
• How long after planting can I start getting the first fruit in avocado farming?
• Can I export my avocado fruit?
• Is avocado farming one of the most profitable fruit farming in Kenya?
• How is the local and export market?
• How is the government involved in the control and marketing of quality avocado fruit?