Avocados (scientific name: Persea Americana) are my favourite fruit; I am privileged to have two trees at my place. The avocado industry has been consistently growing in these past 10 years. The global avocado market is projected to expand at a compound annual growth (CAGR) rate of 6.4 percent in the next 5 years. Avocado production is one of the best export focuses in Zimbabwe. The main target export markets are the EU and UK. Avocados are highly valued for their superior nutritional content. They boast 20 essential vitamins and minerals. Plus they are used in a wide range of both edible and non-edible products. My subject today is avocado varieties grown in Zimbabwe for your consideration.

Avocado Industry In Zimbabwe

The late ’80s saw the beginning of avocado production in Zimbabwe. Today, Zimbabwe is ranked number 5 in Africa as an exporter of avocados. This is all despite operating way below capacity; we can easily climb up the rankings. In Zimbabwe, most of you know avocados are mainly grown in the Eastern Highlands (Chipinge being the core). There are several types of avocado varieties. Some of the most interesting ones are dwarf varieties. These are varieties that produce fruit whilst looking just like small trees. An example of such a variety is Wurtz. Here are common avocado varieties in Zimbabwe:

Hass

This is the most common avocado variety in Zimbabwe and globally. Globally it constitutes over 80 percent of total avocado production. It has dark green and bumpy skin. One of the things that make this variety popular is the rich taste. Even in the US, roughly 95 percent of avocados produced are the Hass variety. The Hass has a long shelf life as well. Their rich and creamy taste makes them perfect for use in culinary. Hass avocados are considered type A since the trees flower between February and May. Hass avocados have high oil content – around 18 percent; no wonder the creamy taste.

Cocktail

This is a unique and interesting avocado variety. This is a seedless variety. They do have the usual characteristics of other avocados e.g. creamy and green flesh. However, their shape resembles that of cucumbers, a huge difference from the usual rounded shape. They are generally small in size and have an oblong shape. Cocktail avocados are the result of unpollinated avocado blossoms. In essence, the cocktail avocado variety is just a variation of regular avocados.

Bacon

Bacon avocados have an oval shape and their skin is smooth. Their skin is also medium thin and their taste is mild as opposed to rich. The Bacon is a type B avocado and is most suited to areas characterised by quite low winter temperatures. It is the best type B avocado for places with low temperatures. The flesh is a pale yellow-green colour and not that oily. Their harvest season is short, spanning just 4 months, peaking being just 2 months.

Geada

This avocado variety has a pear shape, a thin skin, and is mild to dark green. The flesh or pulp is mostly yellowish and tends to have some fibres. Geada avocados are one of the varieties with very low-fat content. This makes them a hit amongst health-conscious consumers particular about the fat content in fruits. Its texture is significantly watery and that makes it perfect for making creams and smoothies.

Breda

Their size is smaller than most avocado varieties. Breda avocados comprise about 72 percent pulp. This is a type A avocado with late maturation – from September to December. The Breda avocados are some of the most valued fruits.

Margarida

The Margarida has a round shape and its skin is quite thick. The flesh is yellowish and the seed is significantly small. This is a type B avocado with late season maturation specifically from August to November.

These are some of the avocado varieties grown in Zimbabwe. Other examples are Fortuna, Esther, Gwen, and Pinkerton, amongst others. If you are interested in export farming, avocados can be a great fit. You can take advantage of the optimum weather for avocado production which is widely commonplace in Zimbabwe. Experts say that April and August is the best time for avocado production in Zimbabwe. I have done an article before on how to start an avocado farming business in Zimbabwe. I also did another one on ways to preserve and process avocados. Be sure to check out those articles for more information.