Avocado Production and Trade

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Avocado Trade and Production [pic] [pic] Pictures copyright courtesy of California Avocado Commission (2010) By Matt Castle Index 1. Avocado an introduction 3 2. Trade of Avocados 5 2.1 U.S. SPS barriers to avocado free trade 6 2.2 Emerging Avocado producers 7 3. Cultivation 8 3.1 Propagation 8 3.2 Soil types 8 3.3 Other Environment Factors 9 3.4 Planting 9 3.5 Planting distance for avocado/orchard design 10 3.6 Irrigation 11 3.7 Fertilisation 11 1. Avocado an introduction The tree from which the commercial avocado fruit (technically a berry due to the fact it develops from a single ovary and has the seed embedded in the fruit), come from the avocado tree Persea americana Mill which originates from Central America. The avocado is a nutritious fruit high in lipids particularly mono unsaturated which may help lower levels of cholesterol. Avocados are sources of fibre and fairly high levels of protein. It is a good source of Vitamins A, B3, B5, C and E and of the mineral potassium. For a more detailed breakdown of avocados see appendix 1. (USDA, 2010) The earliest written evidence of the avocado is from Gonzalo Hernandez de Oviedo (1526), who saw a tree growing in Colombia near panama. Although archaeological evidence suggests cultivation of the tree from as much as 6000 years ago, commercial cultivation as we know it of the avocado began at the beginning of the 20th century in California where it was developed into the industry recognisable today. (FAO, 1999) The Spanish in the 15th century discovered three varieties or sub species of avocado: (Cowan, A.K. & Wolstenholme, B.N. 2003) Mexican Persea americana var. drymimolia, leaves have an aniseed scent, and fruits are small and smoothed skinned, with high oil content (Cowan, A.K. &

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