Cuba plans to harvest avocados all year round with a new staggered planting system that alternates different varieties and clones of the crop and that is designed to meet the high local demand for the fruit, which is also one of the island's export products.
The proposal, which was created by the Institute of Tropical Fruit Research (IIFT), is already being applied in the province of Artemisa (west), where it has had encouraging results, according to the state-run Cuban News Agency.
The research of the IIFT has extended to the harvest of mamey or sapodilla. In addition, it allows evaluating the fruits behavior, according to their state of maturation, climate conditions, and the region's soil characteristics.
"The avocado can be planted throughout the year, provided that producers have enough water, among other factors, to guarantee the plants' requirements," said Guillermo Almenares, the director of the IIFT.
The Tropical Fruit Research Institute, which is based in Havana, is in charge of providing the scientific and technical basis to achieve the sustainability and competitiveness of Cuba's agricultural fruit industry.
Cuba has more than 300 agricultural cooperatives responsible for maintaining a stable and diverse supply of fruits in the island's agricultural markets and hotels; a mission that is not always fulfilled in the case of the popular shops.
Source: EFE