Avocado fruit farming attracts local farmers

By Our Correspondent Khandbari, Oct. 25 Avocado fruit, locally known as Ghiufal, farming is progressing in Mamling Village Development Committee (VDC) of Sankhuwasabha district. The farming was started only two years ago. Avocado is an expensive but nutrient fruit. Udaya Poudel, a farmer, said that the farming developed in the area after 50 farmers gave up other crops to take it up. He added that though the fruits were growing well, the farmers were not able to take adequate benefits due to lack of marketing. "Due to lack of publicity and awareness about the nutritional benefit of the fruit, farmers have failed to reap due benefits," he said. In the foreign market, avocado fruits were sold at Rs. 1,000 per kg. But in Nepal, these fruits are sold at Rs. 200-500 per kg only. This fruit is very good for health and can be consumed regularly. But here this fruit is consumed only when people fall ill. Thus, farmers complain that people come to purchase avocados only when their family, friends, relatives or neighbours become unwell. The 50 farmers have planted avocados in three ropanies of land. Buddhamaya Basnet, a farmer, said that they could not generate profit only by production. Some people have begun to realise its importance though. Farmers are attracted towards avocado farming but complain that there is a lack of bazaar. The farmers bring avocado plants from Dhankuta and plant them. They have planted avocados in the garden which was used to produce maize, millet, potatoes and other agricultural yields. People from the headquarters, Khandbari, and the business centre, Chainpur, have understood the importance of the fruit. Ashish Shakya, president of Chainpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the market could not be expanded due to lack of information on the fruits grown in Mamling.

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Article by Lee Reich 
  
After eating an avocado, it is hard to resist planting its seed. However, to get the seed sprouting quickly you need to be quick as the seed will need immediate planting. Luckily there is a tried and tested method when it comes to growing avocados from seed. This is done by poking three toothpicks into the side of the seed so that it can perch, halfway immersed in water, on the rim of a drinking glass. The seed could also be avocado planted in potting soil, but this misses some of the fun of watching the roots and the shoots grow. 

Avocado roots, like those of most other plants, need oxygen to grow, so the seedlings would actually grow better in soil than in water. When growing a seedling in water, the water should be changed at least every couple of days to prevent it from getting dirty and depleted of oxygen. One way to speed germination in soil is to remove the parchment like seed coat and slice a thin layer from both the top and the bottom of the seed before planting. In water or in soil, set the seed with its base (the wider portion) down. 

Indoors, avocado plants are often gangly and sparse with leaves. One reason for the plant's gawky appearance indoors is lack of light. Lack of sufficient light causes stems to stretch for it, a phenomenon know as etiolation. Another reason is that avocados shed many buds along their stems, buds that might have grown into side branches. The result is a plant stretching out for light, sending out new growth mostly from the tips of thebranches and shedding old leaves. 

There are several things indoor gardeners can do to keep their plants more attractive. Most obvious is to give your avocado tree brighter, stronger light. Also, the stretch for light is exaggerated when warmth stimulates growth, so the ideal spot for the plant is at the brightest window in the coolest room. Beyond that, pruning back a stem or pinching out its growing tip stimulates branching by awaking dormant buds (not all are shed) further down the stem. There is nothing that can be done about the shedding of older leaves. 

Every indoor avocado grower holds out hope for fruit from his or her plant. This is always a possibility, but realistically it is not likely to happen. The time from seed to fruiting under good growing conditions is about a decade. Indoors, this time period is lengthened and plants may never experience good enough conditions to ever flower, let alone ripen fruit. 

Lack of fruit on an indoor tree is no great loss, because seedling trees rarely produce fruits as tasty as those on commercial trees, which are grafted to good-tasting cultivars. Indoors, avocados are best looked upon as a houseplant that is inexpensive, fun to grow and somewhat attractive. 

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