Avocados provide a great alternative to swap into your favorite recipes. They add to the overall nutrition of any meal. In just half of a medium avocado (50g), there are 80 calories with nearly 20 vitamins and minerals. Avocados are also naturally sodium, cholesterol and trans fat-free.
Since avocados are a heart-healthy superfood that provide good fats to one’s diet, swapping them in place of butter in baked goods provides less saturated fat per serving. But the versatility of avocados doesn’t stop with baked goods.
Avocados are dairy, nut and gluten free. It is a creamy, nutty, satisfying ingredient that boosts flavor for people with special dietary needs and restrictions. The avocado can be swapped in recipes for a variety of foods.
Fuerte Avocado Farming in Tanzania
In the past, avocados in Tanzania had no significant economic value. But they are now replacing some of the traditional cash crops such as coffee, wheat, sunflower, banana that are in decline. Many avocado farmers in Tanzania are replacing avocado trees of poor qualities with new and improved varieties that have good market. One such variety is Fuerte.
Fuerte is among other varieties mainly grown in Njombe region in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania and Iringa region. Fuerte is the second most popular avocado variety for export in Tanzania after Hass. It is also sold in the local market. As of 2012, 564 hectares in Njombe region were under avocado production and Fuerte exports are second to those of Hass.
Fuerte Avocado Price
Tanzania exports the Fuerte variety to European markets. Fuerte avocados exported from Tanzania have a minimum dry matter content of 20% and weigh about 227g-313g per fruit. They are packed in 4kg cartons.
Fuerte avocados from Tanzania are shipped mostly to Italy and other countries in Eastern Europe. They are sold in these markets at an average price of US1.2 dollars (TZS2,775) per kg. These are still large markets for Fuerte because of their low price and colour.
Fuerte Avocado Tree Yield
Fuerte avocado trees mature after five years. Between the fifth and seventh year, one Fuerte avocado tree can yield 500-1000 fruits.
Fuerte Avocado Tree Spacing
The recommended spacing of Fuerte avocado in Tanzania is 7m by 7m from one tree to another. With this spacing, 82 trees can be planted on one acre.
Fuerte Avocado
The Fuerte avocado is a well-known variety in the markets. The colour and texture of its skin, shape, weight and size are often considered a standard for judging other varieties.
The Fuerte avocado is still considered to be one of the best tasting avocados around. It is also known as green skin variety just like Zutano and Reed avocados. This is because of its green coloring when ripe and its thin skin which make naturally makes it more susceptible to disease.
Here are some other distinguishing characteristics of Fuerte avocado:
- It has a green skin that remains green and the fruit will give in to gentle pressure when ripe
- It is pear-like in shape
- It is a medium to large fruit (170g-340g)
- It has smooth, medium-thin skin that peels easily
- It has a dense, pale green flesh
- It is marginally oily with a rich, creamy, nutty flavor
Fuerte Avocado Tree Size
- The tree is large and spreading
- The tree is one of the more cold-hardy varieties
- The leaves have a strong, aromatic smell when crushed
- The fruit set of the tree is irregular. Some trees don’t have much fruit while others are productive
- The tree has a tendency to alternate in bearing, producing a bountiful crop every other year. This depends on weather at setting time and other factors.