Hass avocados can be spotted easily because they don’t have the appealing color of green skin avocados. The high-fat flesh, nutty taste and buttery texture make the Hass avocado a favorite among many consumers. Its oil content can be 20% or higher and its tough, thick skin makes it ideal for shipping.
The higher fat content in a Hass avocado makes it creamier. For that reason, it shines in different recipes. Its silky texture makes it perfect for spreading onto toast or bread or smashing it. The satisfying richness of Hass avocados have made them so popular that they account for about 80% of avocados eaten worldwide.
Hass Avocado Farming in Zimbabwe
Chipinge district, southeastern Zimbabwe, is at the heart of Hass avocado farming. The high rainfall and warm temperatures throughout the year make it suitable for growing the Hass variety. Hass avocado does well in Chipinge also because it sits at a high altitude of 1,132m a.s.l. and has well-draining, loamy soils.
Zimbabwe is a big producer of green skin avocados. It is only until recent years that Hass avocados have started being grown in the country. The main reason why Hass avocado farming is taking shape is that the variety has a ready market abroad.
Hass Avocado Seedlings in Zimbabwe
The government of Zimbabwe advises farmers to buy seedlings from nurseries certified by the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) Grafted Hass avocado seedlings in Zimbabwe cost about US4–US5 dollars. Some large-scale producers distribute Hass avocado seedlings to smallholder farmers to produce for them as outgrowers.
Hass Avocado Spacing in Zimbabwe
The recommended spacing of Hass avocado in Zimbabwe is 5m by 5m from one tree to another and from one row of trees to another. With this spacing, 400 Hass avocado trees can be planted in one hectare.
Planting Hass Avocado in Zimbabwe
When planting Hass avocado trees in Zimbabwe, here are the steps to follow:
- Plough the land up to 30cm
- Dig holes 2ft by 2ft by 2ft.
- Separate the top soil and the subsoil.
- Mix top soil with well-decomposed manure and phosphate based fertilizer
- Fill back the soil-manure-fertilizer mix
- Transplant your Hass avocado seedling. Farmers are advised to transplant during the start of the rainy season. In Zimbabwe, it is in mid-October. This helps seedlings to establish themselves well on the farm.
- Water well
Field Management
- Mulching
Applying mulch around the trees will prevent loss of soil moisture and control the growth of weeds.
- Irrigation
Irrigation should be done after the first shoot appears. Water is crucial in the first three months of tree development and the fruiting cycle.
- Thinning
Hass avocado trees grow vigorously. Removal of alternate trees is required so as to avoid crowding. Removing some fruits that have already formed is also done. It ensures high quality fruits because too many fruits end up as small sized fruits.
- Pruning
Regular pruning is done at the early stages before flowering to remove premature flowers and fruits and after harvesting.
- Weed control
Regular weeding should be done so as to reduce competition between the tree and weeds for water and nutrients.
- Pollination
Hass avocado trees are self-pollinating. But for a more plentiful harvest, farmers are advised to grow Hass with another variety like Fuerte for cross pollination. Cross pollination is also done through bee keeping.
Hass Avocado Yield per Hectare in Zimbabwe
Hass avocado trees are very productive and yield faster. The first harvest comes after the second or third year but trees mature after five to six years. The expected yield is 10-20 tons per hectare.