Avocado Becoming Beneficial Commercial Crop in ASR District

 Visakhapatnam: Tribal farmers of lush green Gondipakalu and Peddabarada villages in Alluri Sitharama Raju district of Andhra Pradesh have started benefitting from their new venture of Avocado cultivation.

Traditionally, these farmers have been relying on coffee plantations for income. But they are now diversifying into high-value crops. The shift is being seen across the Chintapalli region, where apple and dragon fruit have already established themselves.

Coffee Board of India first introduced avocado seedlings in the region during 2004, not as a commercial crop but to provide shade in coffee gardens. According to board officials, farmers such as Janakani Lingamurthy, Venkata Rao, Baudu Rambabu, Chinakondala Rao and Bonangi Srinu each planted 10 seedlings at a modest cost of ₹25 per avocado sapling. Unaware of the fruit’s market value, they left the fruit to rot on trees.

However, the scenario changed five years ago when a voluntary organisation recognised avocado’s commercial potential. Shortly thereafter, an organic farmers’ association began procuring avocados at rates ranging from ₹120 to ₹160 per kilogramme in the hilly Chintapalli region and started marketing them in the plains. At the time, each farmer reportedly earned an annual income of between ₹30,000 and ₹40,000 solely from avocado.

Head of Horticultural Research Station at Chintapalli Chetti Bindu confirmed a steady rise in avocado farming, driven by growing urban demand. She says, “The nutrient-rich fruit, praised for managing obesity, regulating cholesterol and blood sugar, and enhancing skin health, has become a regular ingredient in salads and juices.”

Bindu disclosed that the climate in Manyam is ideal for avocado cultivation. Grafted saplings yield fruit within five years, while seed-grown trees take eight years.

Visakhapatnam resident Morramu Vaishali says they frequently use avocados for their health and beauty benefits. Fruit vendor Sanyasamma underlined the increasing demand for the fruit in Visakhapatnam’s Rythu Bazar.

Farmers are now requesting the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) in Chintapalli to promote avocado farming more widely by providing saplings, analogous to the previous initiatives during cultivation of coffee.

The yield holds promise: fruits start forming in five years, with output increasing to 800–900 fruits per tree by the 12th year. Remarkably, these avocados are being grown without using any chemical fertilisers, making them popular among health-conscious buyers.

Currently, avocados are fetching ₹50–60 per piece in Gondipakalu and Peddabarada. Some enterprising farmers are shipping the fruit directly to customers via courier.