- Author: Ben Faber
I recently harvested 'GEM' avocados and found that some of the fruit was splitting. The split fruit was just turning from a bright green to one with dark tinges. There were also gobs of snails and slugs on the fruit. I mentioned the cracking fruit to a grower who had been harvesting ‘Hass' fruit and the comment was that their fruit was turning black on the tree and falling. This is way early for ‘Hass' to show this level of maturity.
Several mandarin growers also mention peel breakdown or rind disorder. There can be brown, water-soaked blotches or dark, sunken areas developing on the rind after rainy weather. The fruit matures rapidly, turning orange early. Secondary fungi can then colonize the affected areas. It's more of a problem in northern California where thin-skinned satsumas are grown and there are early rains. But accelerated maturity and fruit/whole plant breakdown can happen on all citrus and many other fruiting plant species.
This is another example of accelerated maturity due to wet roots. The roots need air, like we do, and when they are asphyxiated for even short periods of time, they start signaling the rest of the plant that something is wrong. Prolonged rainy periods or actual ponding conditions will lead to ethylene precursors that start the maturation process – “banana in a bag” effect. This is in spite of many crops being delayed in their maturity because of the cold winter we have had. Drown the roots, and they start responding as if they are choking. They are. In some cases, leaves will droop (epinasty or wilting) and drop, immediately. And then the fruit may drop right away or then just start rapidly maturing/ripening on the tree. Once this process starts, there's no stopping it. Some growers, seeing fruit drop have gone out to start harvests, but then inadvertently gotten their forklifts stuck in the mud. Rain can have its downsides.
- Author: Ben Faber
According to a recently issued report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, avocados are likely to surpass pineapples and mangos to become the world's second biggest tropical fruit item in terms of trade volume by 2030, trailing only bananas. From: FreshPlaza
Global avocado exports contracted by 0.8% to approximately 2.3 million metric tons in 2020 on account of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on supply chains alongside a small crop in Mexico, the world's largest avocado producer. However, on the whole, the global avocado market expanded robustly in the decade between 2010 and 2020.
Favorable weather conditions and good market prices stimulated avocado exports in Peru, Colombia and Kenya. In 2020, these three countries all achieved double-digit growth in avocado exports and together accounted for one-quarter of the world's total exports.
Among all kinds of tropical fruit, avocados are the smallest in terms of production volume but are demonstrating the fastest growth in output. It is forecast that global avocado output will reach 12 million metric tons by 2030, more than three times that in 2010. Avocado plantations have so far been concentrated in just a few countries and regions, with the top 10 producers accounting for 80% of the world's total output. Although new producers are rapidly catching up, approximately three-quarters of global production in 2030 is anticipated to still originate from countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, given the favorable growing conditions in this region.
Global avocado exports are anticipated to total 3.9 million metric tons and $8.3 billion in 2030, which would make avocados the second most important tropical fruit item by trade volume and one of the most valuable fruit commodities.
Despite facing increasingly tough competition from emerging exporters, Mexico is expected to remain the world's top avocado producer and exporter in 2030, largely owing to strong market demand from the United States. Mexico's avocado production is estimated to maintain an annual growth rate of around 5.2% over the next 10 years, and the country's share of global avocado exports is projected to reach 63% in 2030.
The United States and the European Union are forecast to remain the predominant avocado importers in 2030, together absorbing over 70% of total global exports. Demand from other markets, especially China and the Middle East, is also expected to rise substantially.
- Author: Ben Faber
April 25 (9 AM -12 PM)
WAC Comes to California
A panel discussion by grower attendees at the recent World Avocado Congress
Highlights of Avocado Research from around the world
In-person meeting at
the United Water Conservation District offices (1701 N. Lombard ST., Oxnard)
and zoomed in for those who would prefer that option
You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: Apr 25, 2023 09:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Topic: WAC Comes to California
Register in advance for this webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Pz3Ax4veSFK_qhpa5hy5ZQ
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
- Author: Ben Faber
Avocado consumption per capita
in the United States has tripled in
twenty years, yet California has
decreased its bearing acreage
over the last decade. One state
in Mexico has primarily fulfilled
this surge in demand, but newer
importers may compete more
directly with California producers
and drive down consumer prices.
Read this article by James Sayre at UC Berkeley in either English or Spanish:
https://s.giannini.ucop.edu/uploads/pub/2023/01/31/v26n2.pdf
Developments in the Avocado Sector and Their Implicationsfor California Producers and Consumers
Avances en el sector aguacatero y sus repercusiones paralos productores y consumidores californianos
/span>- Author: Ben Faber
February 15 (10 AM - 12 PM)
In-Person and Zoom
Get Down - Fertilizers
And
How to Read and Understand Soil and Water Reports.
in-person meeting will be at:
United Water Conservation District offices (1701 N. Lombard ST., Oxnard)
and zoomed for those who would prefer that option.