Myanmar’s avocado growers are suffering for poor prices on their crops due to the poor harvesting techniques and unsystematic picking of avocados

Avacado growers in Myanmar are suffering from poor prices for their crops due to poor harvesting techniques, says an industry representative.

“Due to the unsystematic picking of avocados, the farmers don’t receive good prices when their crops are sold,” said U Myo Nyunt, deputy chair of Avocado Producers and Exporters Association.

“Harvesting the avocados by hitting the branches of the trees, irregular fruit sizes due to different planting seasons different seeds used, and poor packing is leading to low prices,” U Myo Nyunt said.

"The fruit sizes are not the same as they are grown naturally and some seeds are planted after they are eaten. The avocados that are sold are from different species and differ in quality, so the farmers cannot earn good prices. They are sold for industrial use instead," he said.

The market price for a bag of avocados is between K30,000 to K40,000. A 400 gramme avocado harvested properly is worth K700 alone.

Currently, the association’s members are in the midst of replanting with high-quality seeds and there will be plenty of quality avocados in the coming year, said U Myo Nyunt.

Farmers are also being taught to not let the fruit fall to the ground, to harvest them with their stalks, and sort the fruit properly according to size, species and ripeness so they can earn better prices, he said.

“Myanmar’s Avocados are largely exported to China. As there isn’t any official government-to-government agreement on the trade, the exports can be considered illegal. As a result they are poorly priced. Besides, even lower prices are asked if there are low quality fruit," said a local avocado grower from Shan State.

“Avocados from a proper plantation measuring 24.2 hectares will start maturing next year 60. The plantation is being operated with modern methods, with proper sterilization and packaging. There are also plans to manufacture avocado-based cosmetic products with the plantation’s crops,” said U Myo Nyunt.

The association will provide training for systematic harvesting of avocados before this year’s harvest, according the Myanmar Avocado Producer and Exporter Association.

According to the association’s statistics, avocados are harvested from December through the end of March, and at present there are some 1600 to2000 hectares of avocado plantations which are five or more years old and another 12,000 hectares of plantations that are less than five years old.

There are over 1000 different species of avocado in Myanmar. Most of the avocados are grown in southern Shan State, and also in Chin State and Sagaing Region, said U Khun Tun Tun Win, the president of the Avocado Producer and Exporter Association of Shan State.

(The Myanmar Times: https://www.mmtimes.com/news/poor-harvesting-techniques-hamper-avocado-prices.html )

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