THE PRODUCER

NDIVHUWO NYAMBENI

How did you become interested in

farming avocados? My father was farming avocados, so let’s say it was in my blood. I wasn’t interested when I was young, not until I had passed my matric and was studying electrical engineering. I came to help my father. He gave me a block on the farm to work, harvest and manage. I made more money than I had imagined possible. I haven’t looked back. How many varieties of avocado are available in South Africa? There are about six commercial varieties — Fuerte, Hass, Pinkerton, Edranol, Reed and Ryan.

Which is your favourite and why? My favourite is Fuerte. It is much tastier and is the most popular at our local markets. It is also the first to mature and so is the first on the market. Besides avocado oil, are there other byproducts you can make from avos? Yes,

hair and skincare products. Are they easy trees to grow and care for at home? Yes, they are quite easy to grow, especially in subtropical areas. They need good rains but not too much. They grow well in warm regions, not hot, and need well-drained soil. What is the greatest threat to the avocado tree? The greatest threat is Phytophthora disease which makes the avocado tree roots rot. The tree will start to die slowly if not controlled. What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learnt about growing this fruit? That avocados can be grown and harvested almost all year round. Different varieties are harvested at different times of the year — Fuerte from February to May, Hass from April to August and Ryan from September to October. There is also out-of-season fruit which can come at any time of the year, so avocados are always available. What has been your greatest challenge in farming avocados? Getting markets for my fruit. It is challenging if you don’t have good quality fruit, but after learning this, the markets became easier to access.