Demand for avocados in India has increased significantly in recent years. Fifteen years ago, there was minimal market presence for avocados in India, according to Sunil Bopaiah, group manager at Cottanad Plantations in Wayanad, Kerala. Bopaiah recalls that ripe fruit would often fall from trees and be consumed by dogs, leading to the term 'dog fruit.'
Bopaiah, who has worked in the plantation industry for 26 years, noted that avocados were initially introduced as shade trees for coffee plantations. The turning point for avocado popularity occurred around 2011 when Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty mentioned using avocados for skincare, resulting in a rapid increase in prices. Cottanad Plantations has since planted avocado trees on 40 acres and harvested between 10 and 15 tonnes last year, with plans to increase production to 40 to 50 tonnes in the next few years.
Bopaiah explained that the cultivation methods have evolved, incorporating techniques learned from South African experts to address disease vulnerabilities in avocado roots. Manilal Palliyath, who promotes the avocado industry in India, stated that there is a significant gap between demand and supply, with India importing around 15,000 tonnes of avocados annually while domestic production is only about 8,000 to 9,000 tonnes.
As demand rises, Indian restaurants are increasingly offering avocado dishes, although many still rely on imported varieties for consistency in quality. Hussain Shahzad, executive chef at Hunger Inc. Hospitality, noted that while Indian-grown avocados are improving, imported varieties currently meet the necessary standards for flavor and texture.
Harshit Godha, founder of Indo-Israel Avocado Nursery in Bhopal, established his business in 2021 after learning about avocado cultivation in Israel. He has supplied approximately 18,000 avocado plants to farmers across India, focusing on international varieties such as Hass and Pinkerton. Godha emphasized the need for proper orchard management, including pruning and ensuring correct planting ratios for pollination, to achieve successful yields.
Dr. Ganeshan Karunakaran from the ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research highlighted the genetic diversity of backyard avocado trees in India, which leads to inconsistent fruit quality. He has been working on breeding projects to develop uniform, high-yielding varieties. Farmers like Shiju Sebastian, who dedicated two acres of his farm to avocados, report positive experiences and potential for growth in avocado cultivation, with Sebastian planning to expand his avocado planting to three additional acres.