Farming can be very profitable, it is more rewarding if and when there is specialisation.
This means one may need to embark on some selected farm produce rather than planting all produces such as; yam, cassava, palm oil tree, kola nut, and so on, on the same farmland.
Hence, specialisation in Avacado Pears farming in Nigeria seems a lucrative business.
LEADERSHIP findings revealed that Avacado farming can create 35,000 jobs in the country. Avacado pear is known by many for its health benefits
Speaking with LEADERSHIP, one of the experts in Jovas Resources, Omoya Joshua Abimbola, explained that, grafted dwarf Hass Avocado farming may take few months, like one to three years for maturity stage, whereas, the plucked off seeds from the main stem can take stay a week before it can spoil.
Abimbola further explained that Hass Avacado has many health benefits and in a situation where a person is not chanced to get land for the farming, can be grown inside bucket. Growing it depends on the soil nutrients & watering or rain.
Similarly, another expert, the Convener, Gogreen Africa Impact Initiative, Ambassador Adeniyi Sola Bunmi, said, Avacado Pears, when fully tapped, can generate about 35, 000 jobs by 2027.
Calling on the federal government to create more conducive atmosphere for the farming to thrive, he noted that, Hass variety of avocado is a nutrient-rich fruit that is full of healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Hass Avocado is very easy to cultivate and is a hardy fruit.
The founder of Avocado Society of Nigeria (ASN), Adeniyi expressed his growing concern for the lack of interest from Nigerian government in mobilising workforce towards revenue generation from Hass Avocado.
“I see this variety of avocado already thriving in Nigeria, and I’m happy I could make this a reality despite the high level of challenges we encountered in the cultivation journey, part of which is importing viable seedlings from countries like Mexico and Kenya.
“However, we hope to make use of advanced farming techniques in future cultivation,” she said.
The prevalence of avocado in Nigeria is still in the budding mode. Though the local variety can be found in local markets all over the country, only big malls and supermarkets can boast of the Hass variety.
With continuous awareness for increased attention, there are high expectations that the Hass avocado – one of the most popular varieties of the avocado fruit – will play a key role in Nigeria’s future.
The Hass Avocado is a great source of dietary fiber which is necessary for keeping a healthy intestinal tract and helps with weight loss and management. It is also a good source of heart-healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which can help reduce cholesterol levels.
The hass avocado tree is able to thrive in the tropical climate of Nigeria and can reach full maturity in as little as three years. This makes it an attractive crop for Nigerian farmers and allows them to more quickly benefit from the crops’ yields.
Despite its popularity, production of the Hass avocado in Nigeria has been limited, with the majority of the crop imported from other nations. This has led to some concern in recent years, with worries that supply may not be able to keep up with increasing demand.
A number of initiatives are being pursued by this group of farmers to boost production, including better soil management, improved irrigation and pest control system.
It is therefore important for existing hass avocado farmers to jealously maintain their farms.
Moreover he explained that, a half plot of avocado farm can generate huge profit for the farmer.
Findings by LEADERSHIP showed that, this crop takes between three to four years for fruit to germinate.
