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Had decided to start the Avocado Project after doing a research on the market and initial trial.The initial trial was planted in September 2010, the small plant between the two markers on the left. Had visited some land with Avocado trees and most of it are healthy. We also have four trees at our little farm which we had been harvesting since we had taken up the farm.
Data collected from the local and city markets are very encouraging. Demand is strong as Avocado is very nutritious favored by both the locals and foreigners. As with all fruits, Avocado is seasonal and good grades of fruits fetch good prices.
We now certain that our local condition does meets the requirement for Avocado.
Our initial plant from seed had grown till this size @ Parcel 1. The tree is healthy and had pruned it a couple of times. The pruning technique that I used was wrong as for Avocado, we need to prune branches and top it so that it shall have more branches. Avocado fruit at the tip.
These are the 4 Avocado trees in our little farm. We collect the rejects and dropped fruits for the seeds. Bigger seeds have a better germinating rate. We germinate the seeds till they sprout and roots before transferring them to poly bags. We care for the plant and water them regularly.
Stage 1 Project Avocado.
Our target for Stage 1 is 200 numbers of Avocado plant-lets of about 450 mm tall.
Hello Mr Raymondetc,
ReplyDeleteI was lucky to come across your blog, I was searching for information on avocados fruits and avocados farm, friends told me that our avocados selling in our market come from Sabah. My friend brought me to see he 8 acres of hilly land and asked me to come out with suggestion as to what fruit to plant, avocados is my first interest as the market here is facing short of avocado supply, they are all imported from Australia. At the moment I am looking for avocado whole-seller from Sabah and someone who can supply me the seed for my small farm. I will keep following you blog. Thank you.
It's quite easy to propagate Avocados. Guess you can try getting some of the Avocado locally, just the seeds, stick it in the ground, keep the soil moist & shaded. It should start to sprout in 2 weeks. I do this with the fallen fruits and on a raised bed, then transfer them into a poly bag.
ReplyDeleteWhere are you located?
Regards.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteDo you plant from seed or do you use grafted plants?
How long do you expect to have the first harvest?
if I want to plant avocado in my garden, can i trim the tree to shorter and smaller size?
Sorry for the late reply, as I was away from my farm. My initial batch are from seeds. Subsequent batch is grafted. From seeds I expect it to harvest in 6 years. From grafted I guess 4 years. I guess you can plant it in a reasonably sized garden, yes can be trimmed.
DeleteSuggest you leave some space for the roots as if too close, it may break the cement floor when it grows.
Hi... I am interested to buy a grafted avocado plant from you in Sabah to bring back with me to Negeri Sembilan. May I know whether I can buy one from you? Please..!!
ReplyDeleteHi Edward, thank you for your interest. At the moment I am grafting these for my own planting, selling had never cross my mind. These grafts are not certified, I am still trying to identify the variety of my avocados. Other issues, including transporting over long distance, the graft may not survive. At the moment I have 1 in my nursery, with doesn't looks healthy, I trying to nurse it back. 3 that had just "took" and budding. All of them not ready for transporting. Am heading back to KL on the 20th, so not possible this trip. May I know what's your plan for the avocado?
ReplyDeleteMy plan is just to have an avocado tree in my garden.... I am a Sabahan and take regular trips to Sabah.... I actually have alot of friends in my facebook looking for grafted avocado. If everything fails, I plan to fly to Philippines to get a grafted Avocado tree from Sarian Farm: http://www.agrizaccess.com/2012/11/grafted-super-avocado-now-available.html?spref=fb I am also finding out the process of getting it over here for my garden....
DeleteWow, that is a big avocado. THank you for the link. It maybe comparable to Avozilla (giant avocado) from South Africa, now on sale in UK. If you are heading that way, I would like to tumpang also. Mine is just the normal type, which I guess could be Guatemalan.
DeleteI can let you have 1 as a gift. Kindly drop me an email at raymondetc@gmail.com for arrangement.
Hi Raymond.... I actually message you in facebook but there is no reply... I can talk to you more :) try to check your facebook under messages... :)
DeleteMy apologies Edward, was at transit for my journey home. Yes, received your messages, glad to get to know you. Thank you for adding me to https://www.facebook.com/groups/malaysiagardeners/ I didn't know that there was so much interest in Avocado. I shall try to contribute there as much as I can. Thank you.
DeleteHi, can i have your contact no to talk more about your avocado trees?
ReplyDeleteThank you for your interest, I can be contacted via email raymondetc@gmail.com, or FaceBook Raymondetc or https://www.facebook.com/FigWholesale?ref=bookmarks Thank you.
DeleteHi, can i have your contact no to talk more about your avocado trees?
ReplyDeleteYou can contact me at raymondetc@gmail.com . Thank you.
DeleteHi, just want to ask if get the baby tree to plan...
ReplyDeleteHow many year will get the avocado?
If you are planting from seeds, it may fruit from 3.5 years to 16 years. If you plant a grafted palnt, it may fruit from 3.5 years onwards.
DeleteHi. Its been four years now since your avocado project started. How is it going? Any grafted trees coming into flowering and fruiting? I started growing grafted avocado in Kuching about three years ago and now have more than 100 grafted trees representing 16 clones than I have selected and grafted myself with local selections, several from Hawaii, Sabah and Indonesia. Hope to get an update of your project's progress. Voon
ReplyDeleteHi. Its been four years now since your avocado project started. How is it going? Any grafted trees coming into flowering and fruiting? I started growing grafted avocado in Kuching about three years ago and now have more than 100 grafted trees representing 16 clones than I have selected and grafted myself with local selections, several from Hawaii, Sabah and Indonesia. Hope to get an update of your project's progress. Voon
ReplyDeleteI am not doing well as my farm was initially started off as a rubber tree farm and was converted to fruit trees a few years back. I do not have the sustaining funds and had to revert back to working for the time being.
DeleteI would love to exchange notes with you. Kindly contact me at raymondetc@gmail and I shall forward you my mobile number, then we can what'sapp. Many thanks.
Hi! I live in Kota Kinabalu but not have luck getting my seeds to grow here yet. I move here from Kuala Terengganu and had to leave 9 young avocado trees behind. Would you still one or two trees for me to keep in my garden?
ReplyDeleteCan reach me at maparham42@gmail
ReplyDeleteHi Poin Dexter, thank you for you interest. I do not have any plants for sale at the moment.
DeletePerhaps you may want to joint Avocado Lovers Malaysia (in FB) as there are some members selling there.
Cheers.
hi..do you supply avocado fruits..tq
ReplyDeletehi..do you supply avocado fruits..tq
ReplyDeleteSorry , not at the moment. We are still waiting for the trees to grow. There is only 2 fruiting trees at the moment and are not on commercial production yet.
DeleteHi Raymond. I find that growing Avocado would be a great potential for commercial use especially in Malaysia. As you said, you do not have sustaining funds for the project, maybe there's some chance to find some interested investors for it.
ReplyDeleteHi, Yes, Roxen, already have your contact. Shall connect via WhatsApp. Thank yuo.
DeleteRay, learning that there were only 2 fruiting trees in Oct 2016, I assume most of the trees are not grafted ones or grafted highland species ( which have difficulty to flower under strong sunshine of 28C and above ). Malaysia can produce tropical avocados ( West Indian species )very well but the fruits are not creamy / buttery but starchy and watery. For East Malaysia market, tropical avocados are quite OK because imported Hass are also bad ( plucked too early ). I visited Keningau town in 2013 July, the area has cool air along the lower slope of the mountain range, a good place to try avocado gardening. Imported Vietnamese Pinkerton ( hybrid race ) seedlings are commonly found in KL / Selangor nurseries, like Sg. Buloh Fruit Farm SBFF. Try a few Pinkerton which are buttery, good size and of small seed, as good as Hass. Grafted hybrid avocado needs cool air and shade provided by nearby big trees ( e.g. durian trees ). The avocado side having shade will normally flower more and frequently. No need to try so many highland clones, one Vietnamese Pinkerton is enough, most require cool air and shade, highland avocado flowers will not withstand well above 28C temp., easily burnt. Still, tropical avocados offer the best rootstocks ( big stems & fast growth ). Seedling rootstocks is slow to fruit, root system still weak. The best is older trees with strong / mature root system, chop and top work with scions of Pinkerton branches, then flowering and some fruits of good quality to harvest in less than 2 years. A bare land without shade will likely work well with tropical avocados. So far, in KL, Hass imported from hot regions near to equator are from Philippines ( under Dole Hass ) in ValueMax / Cold Storage stores and from Ethopia / Africa selling in NSK city grocery. These Hass avocados are bad, taking very long to ripe or flesh blacken / rot first. Avocados which are plucked too early will not ripe but rot / blacken flesh ( not soften and bitter to taste ). Good luck.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Interesting comment, yes Pinkerton is great and grows well here. Agri Tech is changing and being a some what crazy grower I kept experimenting. I believe the comment above shall work towards my advantage. I had moved back to Peninsular and am operating from Bangi, Selangor. Pretty hot as it sometimes hit 34 C
ReplyDeleteI have a pretty big collection here, 38 varieties and some are fruiting. I shall soldier on, yes, I shall need all the luck. Oh, by the way, Singapore wholesaler had initiated discussion to buy all the Booth 7 fruits next years 2022, that is a small baby step for me.
https://www.facebook.com/philippineavocadogrowers/
ReplyDeletePhilippine Avocado Growers Association. -- To plant Hass variety. Optimal temperature for Hass avocado is 21'C-25'C throughout the year.
Your area should have 21-25'C temperature on the average.
Dole is a well-known fruit company in the Philippines. It has operations in many different towns in the country, mainly in the southern island of Mindanao. The Philippines’ avocado orchards are concentrated on the island of Mindanao, and the fruit leaves the country via the Port of Davao. Hass Avocado has been propagated by Dole Philippines in at least three high elevation locations in Kablon, Polomolok, South Cotabato; Calinan District, Davao City and in Bukidnon. Dole Philippines has kept the Hass Avocado planting materials as a tightly-guarded product. Mindanao Development Authority supports the planting of Hass Avocado especially in the deforested upland areas of Mindanao. In addition, the production season in the Philippines covers most of the year, which is a good complement to achieve year-round sales in the market. Mindanao tribal lands with an elevation of over 600 meters above sea level as potential sites for Hass Avocado production.
Philippine Avocado Growers Association
ReplyDeleteNovember 5, 2020 ·
Environmental Farming!
HASS AVOCADO PERFECT
IN MINDANAO HIGHLANDS
"Kung laging naglalakad, may matitisod."
This is an old Filipino idiom which literally means "He who walks always, will discover something."
On Tuesday, on the way back to Kidapawan City from Cagayan de Oro City, I passed by a place where I was told four seedlings of the high-value Hass Avocado were planted a little over two years ago.
That information was shared to me by an official of Dole Philippines who said that it was part of their experiment on the performance of Hass Avocado in cool and high elevation areas in Mindanao.
I and my team had to walk through a muddy trail in a village in Talakag town to get to the area where the four Hass Avocado seedlings were planted in 2018.
What I saw gladdened me no end.
The trees, except for one that was shaded, were fruiting profusely at a little over two years old, even with very little care and fertilization.
I was told that the trees started fruiting before even reaching two years and had been bearing fruits all year round.
Planted at an elevation of about 1,450-meters above sea level (MASL), the four Hass Avocado trees' performance gave me hope for the a successful Environmental Farming Program which the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) is introducing in the deforested highlands of Mindanao.
I crafted the Environmental Farming Concept as a solution to the failed and expensive reforestation programs of government in the deforested highlands of Mindanao.
It is also a farming concept which promotes greater productivity among the farmers in the countryside while at the same time protects the environment by encouraging them to plant fruit trees.
Among the high-value fruit trees that the Environmental Farming Program plans to introduce are Hass Avocado which is in demand in the local and foreign market, Mangosteen and the Abuyog Sweet Jackfruit developed by the Department of Agriculture in the East Visayas Agricultural Research Center (EVIARC0.
With that short walk to the place where the Hass Avocado trees were growing, I discovered two things:
1. Hass Avocado, a high-value and potential new industry for Mindanao, indeed grows well in the cool highlands most of which have been deforested;
2. The four 2-year-old Hass Avocado seedlings will now be the source of scions for grafting so that we could propagate more seedlings to be shared to farmers in the highlands.
Indeed, if we in government would only get out of the comforts of our air-conditioned offices and walk a few extra kilometers, we will not only hear the cries of the poor and the neglected.
We will for sure discover the simple solutions to the problems of our people in the countryside.
Malaysia can produce tropical avocados, starchy and watery taste and lack of creamy / buttery texture, due to our hot weather. Indonesia is the world biggest avocado producer but all are tropical avocados having bad taste. Find them in Super7 stores and Chow Kit wet market / KL. Hass avocados grow in cool regions, best at 24c / 25c for flowering. Cheaper Hass from Philippines are found in ValueMax / Cold Storage ( Dole ), from Kenya found in NSK, tasting inferior and commonly flesh blacken. Mexican Hass is best and cheaper ( sale after May ). South African Hass is good ( sale after Sept / Cold Storage ). Vietnam Pinkerton is OK, quite buttery and good size, may order online. Personally, it is worth trying to plant Vietnam Pinkerton ( about Rm.180/= per grafted seedling from nurseries ) on lower slope along the central mountain range with cool air. West Indian ( tropical avocado ) varieties are the practical choices to plant in Malaysia ( West Indian, the most tropical in character, is limited in the United States to southern Florida ). There are Hass trees producing avocados after 10 years on Genting Highland slope, but the fruits may taste like imported Philippines / Kenya Hass. Tenom in Sabah has produced many tropical avocados. Taiwan and Indonesia have failed to produce Hass or quality Hass, 90% of commercial avocados. Mexican / Guatemalan avocado varieties are highland avocados, growing under cool weather. Their male and female flowers are likely to get burnt at temp ranges above 28c. Then all avocados have issues of Type A and B flowers.
ReplyDeleteHawaii has a latitude of 19.8968° N ( very close to Hanoi city Vietnam but of cold winter ). The islands lie some 2367 km north of the equator. The average daytime summer temperature at sea level is 85° F (29.4° C), while the average daytime winter temperature is 78 F° (25.6° C). Temperatures at night are approximately 10° F lower than the daytime. Hawaii has only two seasons – summer, from May to September, and winter, from October to April. Winters in Hawaii are cooler and have northwestern winds. Temperatures are on average about 75 degrees during the days and 65 at night. Summer highs average around 85 degrees.
ReplyDeleteFor those who are interested in avocado planting, avocado varieties from Hawaii ( warm temperatures caused by the ocean ) should be most suitable to Malaysian lowlands where temperatures all year round are quite alike. Those varieties which have fruiting during the summer and ripe in the fall will suit Malaysian lowlands. Philippines Hass avocados are cultivated on the highlands ( 21° C - 25° C) of Mindanao island.
Avocado varieties of Hawaii ;
Kahalu'u - Kahalu’u is a popular Hawaii avocado and is considered by many to be the best-flavored variety in the state. The fruit is ripe in the fall from August to November ( summer fruiting ), but can be an alternate bearer, producing fruit every other year. The avocados are large and oblong with a small seed and thin green skin.
Lamb Hass - Lamb Hass is a California selection bearing spring and summer fruit. It is a heavy regular bearer, with fruit averaging 10 to 18 ounces with skin black when ripe. Fruit may have a larger seed when grown in rainy areas. Type A flowers.
Sharwil - Sharwil is popular with commercial growers, and has a long and heavy bearing season throughout the winter months of November to February. The fruit is medium sized and pear-shaped with a small seed, high oil content, and a green rough skin. Sharwil is an amazingly consistent bearer, and is the only variety allowed by the USDA to be shipped to other states.
Yamagata - Yamagata is a Hawaii selection with a long and heavy bearing season from March to July. The fruit is large and pear-shaped with a small seed and green skin. The fruit is delicious and received the 2011 award for best tasting and all around best Avocado in Kona’s Buyers Preference challenge.
Others are Beardslee, Malama, San Miguel, Fujikawa, Green Gold, Linda, Murashige, Ota.
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ReplyDeleteThank you for your interesting comment. I still feel we can produce premium quality Avocado in Malaysia. Anyway, my plan is still going on as plan. In fact I have friends coming on board to join me, planting Avocado in Malaysia.
ReplyDeleteYes, Philippines is increasing their acreage. I hope to visit after the Pandemic.
I have some of those varieties that you had mentioned, but rather difficult to obtain all, especially during this Pandemic. Anyway once we can travel, I shall try sourcing them.
Hi Mr Raymond, I'm a newbie in this plantation, yet I'm determine to learn. I went thru ur blog, it's interesting with ups and down. Just if u can share here, what type of avacado plant will u suggest to be planted here in lahad Datu sabah because I came to know that there were type A and B flowering plant.
ReplyDeleteHi "Unknown" . Since you are in Lahat Datu, I strongly suggest you make a visit to Agriculture Research Centre, Quoin Hills Tawau.
DeleteThere are some local varieties.