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🇵🇱 Poland /Economy & Trade

Once eaten only by dogs, avocados are now booming in India

From Rzeczpospolita · () Polish

Translated from Polish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • India had almost no avocado market 15 years ago, but demand surged after Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty said she used the fruit for skincare.
  • The country imports about 15,000 tonnes of avocados a year, while domestic production stands at only 8,000 to 9,000 tonnes.
  • Farmers and businesses are investing in varieties such as Hass and Pinkerton, while researchers say standardized trees are needed to improve quality and consistency.

Fifteen years ago, ripe avocados in India had so little value that they fell from trees and were eaten by dogs. The fruit acquired the unappealing nickname “dog fruit,” and farmers mainly planted avocado trees to provide shade for coffee plantations rather than as a commercial crop.

The turning point came around 2011, when Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty said she used avocado for skincare, according to the BBC. Prices nearly doubled overnight and continued rising, prompting growers to recognize the potential of a fruit already popular in Europe and the Americas.

India now imports about 15,000 tonnes of avocados each year, while domestic production reaches only 8,000 to 9,000 tonnes, said Manilal Palliyath, who promotes India's avocado industry. He said the gap creates a major opportunity for farmers, particularly as climate change increasingly harms traditional crops such as coffee and pepper. “Diversification has become a necessity for farmers,” he said.

Diversification has become a necessity for farmers

· Manilal PalliyathHe described avocado cultivation as an opportunity as climate change harms traditional crops such as coffee and pepper.

Indian restaurants have also taken an interest in avocados, although they still often choose imported fruit because its taste, texture, size and ripeness are more consistent. Some Indian growers are working to close that quality gap by improving cultivation practices.

Harshit Godha founded Indo-Israel Avocado Nursery in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, in 2021 after spending a month learning about Israel's avocado industry. In five years, the nursery supplied Indian farmers with about 18,000 seedlings, including international varieties such as Hass and Pinkerton.

Researchers are also trying to improve trees that have grown in India for generations. Ganeshan Karunakaran, chief scientist at the ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research in Bengaluru, said nearly every avocado tree growing beside a home is genetically different. “If we want to create a stable commercial market, we need standardized varieties,” he said.

If we want to create a stable commercial market, we need standardized varieties

· Ganeshan KarunakaranThe researcher explained why India needs more consistent avocado varieties and quality.
About this summary

Originally published by Rzeczpospolita in Polish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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