$92 Avocado for Wholesale Trees? Avocado Trees are Selling Well.

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A collaborative blog by UC farm advisors and specialists in subtropical horticulture in California.

Author: Ben Faber

Published on: March 27, 2017

A recent auction in South Africa was selling 'Maluma' variety of avocado for $92 a tree. That is more than the average price of avocado nursery trees in that country and a lot more than what is paid in California or Florida. That variety has suddenly gotten a huge demand because of its sales characteristics accounting for 13% of the tree sales from one nursery there.

The variety – favored for its nutty flavor, larger size than Hass, smaller seed, high yields and faster ripening – is in short supply in South Africa, with licensor Allesbeste Nursery's waiting list stretching out for up to five years in the future.

This is a phenomenon that is going on world-wide not just for 'Maluma'. According to a CA nursery producer, the 'Maluma' sale is really a reflection of the world-wide demand for avocado trees and not necessarily this South African variety. Avocado acreage is expanding world-wide. So far 'Maluma' has a US import license, but has not been grown in CA, so we don't know its performance characteristics. That should change soon according to the nurseryman.

Related story: South Africa: Maluma Day to challenge avocado sector's “convenient position”:

http://www.freshfruitportal.com/news/2017/03/08/south-africa-avocado-auction-shows-exorbitant-demand-maluma-trees/

Tags: avocado (359), avocado industry (1), GEM (2), Hass (4), imported avocados (1), new varieites (1), offshore (1), South Africa (1)

Comments: 2

Comments:

by Maxwell V. Norton

on March 28, 2017 at 8:44 PM

Potential buyers are urged to read up on Tulip mania or tulipomania of 1637. The infamous market bubble was well reviewed in the book Botany of Desire by Michael Polon.

by Ben Faber

on March 29, 2017 at 7:15 AM

Good comment about all investments. At least world-wide and US avocado consumption is increasing.