Crop details

Avocado (parachichi)

Persea americana

Family: Lauraceae

Quick stats

Family	Lauraceae
Typical harvest	12.3 t/ha
Varieties	3
Pests & diseases	7
Seasons	0

Crop profile

Growth habit	tree
Days to harvest	365
Main uses	Fruits eaten fresh with meals, in salads, sandwiches, juice and guacamole; also used for oil and animal feed from rejects.
Pollination	insect
Origin / where it grows	Avocado (parachichi) is widely grown in cool to warm mid-altitude areas of East Africa, especially around homesteads and in commercial orchards.

Weather, soil & spacing

Best temperature	16–26 °C
Rainfall	900–1400 mm/yr
Altitude	1000–2400 m
Best pH	6–6.8
Soil type	Deep, well-drained loam or sandy loam rich in organic matter. Avocado (parachichi) roots need plenty of air and do best where water moves through the profile.
Row spacing	700 cm
Plant spacing	700 cm
Seed rate	kg/ha (check local recommendation)
Nursery days	270

Simple notes for farmers

About the crop: This crop has a growth habit described as "tree". You can normally start harvesting about 365 days after planting, depending on care and variety.

Main use: Farmers mostly grow this crop for fruits eaten fresh with meals, in salads, sandwiches, juice and guacamole; also used for oil and animal feed from rejects..

Pollination: This crop is mainly pollinated by insect. Keeping flowers healthy and having insects like bees in the field helps improve fruit set and yields.

Where it grows: Avocado (parachichi) is widely grown in cool to warm mid-altitude areas of East Africa, especially around homesteads and in commercial orchards. It is grouped under: Fruits & Nuts.

Best climate: This crop does well in warm areas where the temperature is usually between 16 and 26 degrees Celsius. It prefers places that receive around 900 to 1400 millimetres of rain in a year. It can grow from near sea level up to about 2400 metres above sea level.

Soil: The crop grows best in slightly acidic to near neutral soils, with a pH of about 6 to 6.8. It does well in deep, well-drained loam or sandy loam rich in organic matter. avocado (parachichi) roots need plenty of air and do best where water moves through the profile.. Good drainage is important, so avoid waterlogged spots.

Plant spacing: Plant in rows about 700 centimetres apart, and leave about 700 centimetres between plants in the row. This gives each plant enough space for roots and canopy to spread.

Seed or planting material: Use good quality seed or healthy planting material. Follow local extension advice for the exact amount per hectare.

Nursery period: If you raise seedlings in a nursery, keep them there for about 270 days before transplanting to the main field, when they are strong and healthy.

Farmer guide (mwongozo wa mkulima)

Planting: Plant Avocado (parachichi) at the start of rains. Dig wide holes, mix topsoil with manure and refill partly. Plant the grafted seedling at the same depth as in the nursery bag and keep the graft union above the soil.

Transplanting: Use healthy, grafted seedlings. Remove the polythene carefully, avoid twisting roots and water immediately after planting.

Irrigation: Young trees need regular watering, especially during dry spells. For bearing trees, avoid long drought at flowering and early fruit growth, but do not overwater heavy soils.

Fertigation: With drip, split fertilizer into many small applications. Apply more nitrogen when trees are flushing and more potassium during fruit development. Avoid heavy N just before flowering.

Pest scouting: Inspect trees every 2–3 weeks for fruit flies, thrips, mites and diseases on flowers, young leaves and fruits. Look for scars, spots and rotting areas.

Pruning: Train Avocado (parachichi) to a strong central framework with 3–4 main branches. Remove very low, crossing or broken branches and thin the canopy lightly to let in light and air.

Harvest: Harvest fruits when they reach full size and skin colour typical of the variety. Fruits ripen off the tree after picking. Do not pull roughly; clip or twist gently.

Postharvest: Handle carefully to avoid bruising. Keep fruits in shade, not direct sun. Store on clean crates and avoid piling fruits too high. Cool storage extends shelf life where available.

Nutrient schedule (mbolea kwa hatua)

#	Stage	DAP	Product	Rate	Targets (kg/ha)	Notes
1	Basal at planting	0	Well-rotted manure + small P fertilizer (e.g., DAP 18-46-0)	10 kg/tree manure + 100 g DAP	N: 0, P₂O₅: 0, K₂O: 0	Mix manure with topsoil in the planting hole. Keep fertilizer away from the stem and main roots.
2	Young tree topdress	180	CAN 26% N	150 g/tree	N: 0, P₂O₅: 0, K₂O: 0	Apply in a ring under the canopy edge and lightly fork into the soil.
3	Pre-flowering feed	365	NPK 17-17-17 or 10-20-20	250 g/tree	N: 0, P₂O₅: 0, K₂O: 0	Apply at the start of rains before main flowering; do not overdo nitrogen.
4	Fruit development high K	420	Sulfate of potash (SOP) or high-K NPK	250 g/tree	N: 0, P₂O₅: 0, K₂O: 0	Improves fruit size, oil content and shelf life of Avocado (parachichi).

Nutrient requirements

Nutrient	Stage	Amount	Unit
N	Establishment	25	kg/ha
P₂O₅	Establishment	25	kg/ha
K₂O	Establishment	25	kg/ha
N	Vegetative	50	kg/ha
P₂O₅	Vegetative	20	kg/ha
K₂O	Vegetative	40	kg/ha
N	Bearing_maintenance	60	kg/ha
P₂O₅	Bearing_maintenance	25	kg/ha
K₂O	Bearing_maintenance	80	kg/ha

Field images (picha shambani)

Name	Country	Maturity	Traits
Hass	KE	300	Small to medium, darkening skin, high oil content and good keeping quality; common export variety.
Fuerte	KE	280	Pear-shaped green fruit with good flavour; used for fresh local markets.
Local Avocado (parachichi)	KE	280	Larger fruits, variable seed size and taste, widely grown around homesteads.

Stage	Product	Rate (kg/ha)	Notes
Basal (planting)	Well-rotted farmyard manure	10000	Apply in the planting hole and along the future root zone.
Young trees	CAN 26% N	50	Split into 2–3 small doses per year to encourage strong early growth.
Bearing trees base feed	NPK 17-17-17 or similar	150	Applied each year, often at the start of rains.
Fruit quality	Sulfate of potash (SOP) or high-K blend	80	Given around fruit set to support oil content and firmness.

Name	Type	Management
Fruit flies	pest	Collect and destroy fallen fruits, use bait traps and harvest promptly when fruits are mature.
False codling moth / other fruit borers	pest	Field sanitation, removal of infested fruits and use of recommended control products where needed.
Thrips	pest	Monitor during flowering and early fruit set and apply selective insecticides or biopesticides if damage is high.
Mites	pest	Avoid dust, keep trees healthy with adequate water and nutrients and use specific miticides or biopesticides when necess...
Root rot (Phytophthora)	disease	Plant on well-drained soils, avoid waterlogging and heavy compaction, and use tolerant rootstocks where available.
Anthracnose and stem-end rots	disease	Prune for good airflow, avoid wetting fruits late in the day and use recommended fungicides as needed.
Scab and leaf spots	disease	Use tolerant varieties, prune dense canopies and apply fungicides when disease pressure is high.

System	Typical	Min	Max	Notes
Scattered homestead Avocado (parachichi) trees	5	3	8	Little pruning or fertilizer; 50–150 kg fruit per mature tree is common.
Managed smallholder orchard	12	7	18	Improved varieties, some pruning, manure and fertilizer, basic pest and disease control.
Intensive / export Avocado orchard	20	15	25	High-density planting, drip irrigation, fertigation and well-planned canopy and pest management.

No season calendars yet.

Country	Region	Suitability
KE	Central and Rift Valley highlands (Avocado belt)
KE	Upper mid-altitude zones with deep, well-drained soils
TZ	Northern and southern highlands
UG	Highland and mid-altitude smallholder Avocado zones