Malayali farmer brings Israeli techniques home to power butter fruit farming

From a niche introduction to a rising favourite, avocado is steadily establishing itself as a star crop in Kerala’s exotic fruit sector. Locally referred to as butter fruit, it has already secured a prominent place alongside rambutan and mangosteen.

At present, many farmers are investing in avocado cultivation and discussions around it are active in farmer groups. While some are drawn towards tropical varieties, others highlight the value of exotic cultivars such as Hass. There is also a growing section of farmers focused on promoting and strengthening native varieties.

However, beyond debates on the superiority of varieties, very few are exploring strategies for managing avocado cultivation on a plantation scale and maximising profitability. In this context, noted fruit farmer Jimmy Vettukadan, a native of Thalaynad near Anchirickal in Thodupuzha, is presenting new insights and crucial information for those engaged in commercial avocado farming.

Having taken up the management of several fruit plantations in Kerala, he has also been overseeing agricultural operations in Kenya for the past few years. This initiative is part of a project aimed at using avocado cultivation as a tool for poverty alleviation in African countries. Through this work, Jimmy has had the opportunity to closely observe and study modern farming practices in countries such as South Africa and Israel. He is now actively working to implement these insights in Kerala and share them with local farmers.

Multiple grafting
In the initial phase, Jimmy is focusing on premium avocado varieties that are in high demand in global markets, along with advanced techniques for producing high quality planting material through microcloning and multiple grafting. The globally popular Hass avocado is already familiar to farmers in Kerala. However, its commercial cultivation is viable only in regions with temperatures between 18 and 28 degrees Celsius.

In this context, Jimmy has begun importing hybrid varieties such as Maluma Hass and Pinkerton, which are better suited to warmer climates. He explained that the planting material being brought in is produced through microcloning and multiple grafting techniques. In addition, Hass and Fuerte varieties are also being imported for cultivation in the cooler high range regions.

The rootstocks used in multiple grafting are wild avocado varieties known as Bounty and Doosa, which are well suited to Kerala’s climate. Their key features include exceptional disease resistance and a strong ability to withstand adverse conditions. However, when seeds are directly sown and germinated, cross-pollination can lead to a loss of these hardy traits. In such cases, an additional grafting step is required to prepare rootstock saplings. The process involves first germinating seeds of common native avocado varieties to raise seedlings and then grafting small shoots of Bounty or Doosa onto them.

Once grafted, the saplings are kept in a dark room, where a fresh shoot from the rootstock begins to develop. This process is known as etiolation. As the seedlings grow pale in the absence of sunlight, they are converted into rootstocks by inducing rooting just above the grafted section. For this, the area around the rooting zone is covered with a special sleeve containing rooting hormones and a planting medium. This micro container, which resembles a collar, is also called a rooting ring.

Once sufficient roots have developed, the portion below the ring is cut and removed, leaving behind a ready avocado rootstock. This can then be grafted with any commercially valuable, high yielding avocado variety.

Advantages
1. Disease resistance: Soils in Kerala, which are highly acidic and moisture rich, are particularly prone to fungal infections. However, rootstocks such as Bounty and Doosa have the ability to withstand pathogenic fungi, including Phytophthora.

2. Tolerance to adverse conditions: Techniques such as microcloning also help plants withstand drought, waterlogging, salinity and soil acidity. However, a key requirement is the identification of specific rootstocks capable of resisting each stress factor. As Jimmy points out, while countries like Israel have developed varieties that tolerate salinity and drought, Kerala would require rootstocks that can withstand excessive waterlogging.

3. High yield and superior genetic traits:Since the desirable traits of the mother plant are retained and disease incidence is reduced, both fruit quality and overall productivity are significantly improved.

Access and availability of imported saplings
Strict quarantine regulations were the main hurdle in importing high quality varieties cultivated in large plantations across Africa. At the same time, it was essential to ensure through trial cultivation that these exotic varieties could adapt to Kerala’s conditions.

In the initial phase, a limited number of saplings were imported and planted on his own farm for trial purposes. After establishing quarantine facilities, fresh batches of saplings are now being imported. To facilitate this, a quarantine shed has been established through significant investment. These plants are currently under strict official observation.

Once the quarantine period is completed, the saplings will be planted at his farm in Thalaynad, while a portion will also be distributed to fellow farmers and associates. As the existing stock will not be sufficient, Jimmy has indicated that additional microclonal saplings will be imported in the near future.

The current imports include microclonal plants of Hass, Maluma Hass, Pinkerton and Fuerte varieties sourced from South Africa. Farmers are also being given opportunities to visit the farm and learn about cultivation practices. Recently, the farm was also visited by the District Collector of Idukki, who observed the unique farming methods being followed there.

Field learning for farmers
For Jimmy, who is keen to share his experience in avocado cultivation with fellow farmers, the import of internationally certified saplings after months of procedures is only part of a much larger mission. He advises that those starting new cultivation ventures should do so only after closely observing scientifically managed plantations.

According to him, exotic varieties contain around 30 percent oil content, while native varieties have significantly lower levels, and this is the key difference in quality between the two. High oil content varieties are more preferred in international markets, where demand for avocado oil is strong. He further notes that high quality avocados are currently being imported into India in large quantities from African countries such as Kenya and Tanzania.

Understanding poor flowering and low fruit set
Poor flowering and the failure of fruit set after flowering, in his view, are among the major challenges faced by avocado farmers. He identified three main reasons for this.

1. Pollination issues:Avocado varieties are broadly classified into Type A and Type B. In Type A plants, female flowers open in the morning and male flowers in the afternoon, while in Type B plants, the pattern is reversed, with male flowers opening in the morning and female flowers in the afternoon. Hass is a Type A variety and therefore it needs to be cultivated alongside a Type B variety such as Fuerte to ensure proper pollination. Jimmy notes that orchards managed in this way have shown up to a 30 percent increase in yield, a scientifically proven method that is also followed in his own plantations.

2. Micronutrient deficiency:This can be identified through proper soil testing.

3. Improper planting methods:Avocado cultivation requires raised soil beds of about three feet in height. This improves drainage, which in turn enhances disease resistance and productivity.