First Avocado Orchards Planted in the Central Arava Region

The latest innovation in the Central Arava aims to make the seasonal shortage of avocados a thing of the past. 

Every August and September avocado lovers have to contend with a shortage of their favorite fruit but an innovative solution to this problem is now in sight to facilitate a supply of this popular evergreen fruit all year round.

In the Central Arava Region the farmers and the agricultural committee, together with the Central Arava R&D division and the local council are working to expand the range of agriculture crops grown there, replacing traditional crops like peppers and tomatoes with diverse fruit and vegetable crops.  For the very first time avocado trees were planted as a commercial crop two years after the first 11 trees were planted in a trial project in this climatic region.

One of the region’s farmers, Erez Lichtenstein planted avocados over an area of 0.5 hectares (5,000m2) replacing most of his tomato growing plots.  Research, conducted in conjunction with the R&D division of the Central and Northern Arava, indicates that this initiative will put an end to the avocado shortages by bringing its season forward to August-October, when the Arava region will be able to supply superior-quality avocado.

Lichtenstein pointed out that Ettinger was the main variety planted together with some additional varieties, and noted further that currently a harvest of about ten tons of superior-quality avocado is expected while future expansion seems probable.

This move to broaden the range of high quality crops grown in the Central Arava is most welcome and encouraged by Eyal Blum, the mayor of the Central Arava Regional Council with the agricultural committee farmers.