21 October
Myanmar Avocado Producer and Exporter Association will begin exporting sample shipments of their systematically homegrown avocados to China, India and Thailand on 3 November.
Association Chairman U Myo Nyunt said they don’t have a sizeable systematically grown plantation big enough to supply large exports. That’s why they will only send avocados during their peak season to the three foreign nations, as part of a test import strategy.
The peak season for avocado in Myanmar is from November to January when they produce fruits with the highest quality.
U Kyaw Soe Min, the association’s secretary, said avocados shouldn’t be plucked when they are still tender. He said there are too many tender avocados in the local market and most of them are not suitable for consumption. He said the avocados begin to ripen in November and that’s when they should be harvested.
The avocado association will be providing cultivators with trainings on when to harvest avocados, how to select good seeds for planting, and using proper methods to grow the best quality avocados for the domestic and foreign markets.
The avocado tree can be planted in any region that is between 3,00 to 4,000 feet above sea level. There are two varieties of avocados available in Myanmar; domestic and foreign. Planting 100 domestic variety trees in an acre would cost around K800,000 while the foreign variety would cost about K1.5 million.
Avocado trees have an average lifespan of 50 years and are cultivated the most in Mogok and PyinOoLwin, Mandalay Region. Nationwide, there are currently only 600 acres of avocado plantations combined.
Min Htet Aung (Mahn Sub-printing House) (Translated by Zaw Htet Oo)
