In 2018, the global avocado market was estimated at $13 billion. By 2026, that number is expected to increase to $21.6 bln. That means farmers would do well to find ways to meet rising demand. Israel is already doing fairly well in producing a decent amount of avocados. The country’s climate is great for growing the plants.
Around 14,000 hectares (approximately 34,600 acres) of avocado groves are planted in Israel every year, providing an average of approximately 120,000 tons of fruits per year for both export and the local market.
Those numbers could soon multiply greatly, however, thanks to the MIGAL Galilee Research Institute in Kiryat Shmona. Following successful testing, the researchers at MIGAL created Bestree, a start-up dedicated to the production and marketing of avocado seedling cultures all over the world.
MIGAL vice president of business development Uri Ben-Hertzel: “Avocado is a difficult plant to root and so far there has not been a commercial system for propagating avocados in tissue cultures. The development of... Bestree is a great international success that will change the value chain in the avocado industry in Israel and around the world.”
Uri Ben-Hertzel noted that currently, the process of starting avocado plants is one of the industry’s greatest bottlenecks, with large losses for farmers caused by lack of uniformity and disease. Bestree’s new method will allow the expansion of the avocado industry, he said, while increasing the export of seedlings from Israel.
Source: jpost.com