Avocados are a satisfying and healthy food which help in heart protection, eye health, digestion, cancer protection among other important health issues. Avocados are a tasty fruit with diverse uses in cooking as well as in beauty products. That is why the avocado deserves the superfood status.
Avocados are fast becoming a staple of Ugandan’s diets. They are a quick and easy addition to any meal. Not only do they benefit your taste buds but also your nutrition.
There are so many things you can do with an avocado. It is very useful in being the base of many dishes. Avocados are great in salads and can still go well with hot food. You can eat avocados every day without getting bored with them.
How Profitable is Avocado Farming?
Avocado farming is turning out to be a profitable venture for farmers in Uganda. Here is a breakdown of the estimated cost of planting one acre of avocado farm in Uganda:
- With the recommended commercial spacing of 5m by 5m, a farmer needs to buy 160 avocado seedlings from a nursery certified by the Department of Crop Protection and Certification (DCIC.) The cost of one seedling is UGX8,000. The total cost of 160 seedlings is UGX1,280,000.
- The cost of clearing bushes on one acre ranges between UGX80,000 and UGX150,000.
- The cost of measuring planting holes (2ft by 2ft by 2ft), pitting, mixing manure and planting per hole is from UGX500-UGX800. The total cost for 160 planting holes using UGX800 is UGX128,000.
- The total cost of fertilizer use for three years is UGX250,000. In this case the farmer uses both organic manure (compost) during early development of the avocado tree and inorganic fertilizer after the first year to the third year. About 10kg of well-decomposed manure is needed per tree per year.
- The total cost of pesticide and fungicide use for three years is UGX1,648,000.
- The average cost of hiring laborers to do weeding, pruning, pest and disease control for one year is UGX180,000. The total cost for five years is UGX540,000.
- Therefore the estimated total investment needed for one acre is UGX3,996,000.
After two and half to three years, a farmer can expect the first harvest. One avocado tree can yield 50-300 fruits. This means one acre can yield 8,000-48,000 fruits from 160 trees.
Let us take into account the least number of fruits (8,000). Let us also calculate the price of each fruit at a minimum price of UGX500. The total expected return from one acre after three years is UGX4,000,000. The first harvest is always a loss because the trees are not yet fully developed.
But after five years, the following harvests make profits since the avocado farm has mature trees. A tree can yield 700-1,000 fruits. This means one acre can yield 112,000-160,000 fruits from 160 trees.
Let us take into account the least number of fruits (112,000) and calculate at a minimum price of UGX500. The total expected return from one acre after five years is UGX56,000,000. After deducting the total cost (UGX3,996,000) from the total revenue (UGX56,000,000) the net profit is UGX52,004,000.
Avocado Yield per Acre
In Uganda, one commercial acre can produce 8,000-48,000 fruits after the third year. After the fifth year, one acre can produce 112,000-160,000 fruits.
Benefits of Avocado Farming
Here are some benefits of avocado farming:
- The global avocado market is expanding at a faster rate than the supply.
- Avocado can be grown in a wide range of climatic and soil conditions.
- Commercial avocado production can be done even in a small area of land like an acre.
- Growing avocado is easy because it doesn’t require intensive care.