Ex-Tata Motors employee earns Rs26 lakh per acre with avocado farming in drought-prone Solapur

When Jalindar Jadkar took voluntary retirement from Tata Motors in 2020, he knew what he wanted to do – continue his family occupation of farming in Kurduvadi in Maharashtra’s Solapur district. However, traditional farming of wheat, sugarcane, pulses and fruits like muskmelon left little profit margins.

“I wanted to shift to more profitable and less labour-intensive crops. When I visited a friend’s farm, I saw avocado plants and learned about the high prices they fetch in the market,” Jalindar tells 30Stades.

Why avocado farming is profitable

On an acre, he decided to replace muskmelon with avocado. While the wholesale price of muskmelon is Rs35 per kg at best, Mexican Hass avocado sells for a minimum of Rs200 per kg in the market. The demand for exotic fruits, including avocado, dragon fruit, rambutan and loganis rising in the Indian market.

Muskmelon cultivation is more demanding and labour-intensive because the plants are annual and require pest control. 

“Avocado cultivation requires patience for the first two years but is less labour-intensive. Avocados are hardy, require much less maintenance, and trees bear fruit for over 20 years. They fetch much higher market rates,” Jalindar says.

A rich source of antioxidants and monounsaturated fats, avocado is gaining popularity among Indians for its numerous health benefits. In 2023, India imported 39 lakh kg of avocados, mostly from Tanzania, New Zealand, Peru, Chile, and Australia, according to World Bank trade data. 

Also Read: How this farmer makes a profit of Rs10 lakh per acre from avocado farming in drought-prone Beed

How avocado farming is done

Jalindar prepared the land for planting avocados by adding cow dung and vermicompost. “The soil should be well-drained with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. The soil must be loosened to a depth of at least 60cm, and then manure should be added to enrich the organic matter to get the best results,” he says.

Jalindar maintained a plant-to-plant gap of 12X12 ft. “However, it is better to keep the gap at 18 or 20 ft because avocado roots are shallow and spread horizontally,” he says.

On one acre, he planted 100 saplings of Arka Supreme, an Indian avocado variety, and another 100 saplings of the premium Mexican Hass variety. Avocado requires a moderate amount of water. It cannot typically tolerate temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. 

“I overcame these challenges in drought-prone Solapur by planting 100 mahogany trees between avocado plants. Mahogany trees, with their large leaves, help keep the farm cooler due to the shade they provide. They improve soil quality and prevent erosion,” he says.

Plus, the fallen leaves provide natural mulching. “Leaf mulching reduces water requirements by minimising evaporation from soil and retaining moisture. This leads to less frequent watering and water conservation,” says Jalindar, who uses tube well irrigation on the farm.

An avocado tree gives fruit for a minimum of 20 years. So it is a long-term investment. “After 12 years, I can also sell mahogany wood. Each tree can fetch over Rs1 lakh,” he adds.

Arka Supreme – Made in India avocado

The Arka Supreme variety, developed in India, can withstand temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. The variety was developed by IIHR, Bengaluru. Jalindar purchased the saplings from an Indian Avocado Nursery in Karnataka and planted them in February 2021. 

Unlike foreign varieties, an Arka Supreme tree requires only about 25 to 30 litres of water every three to four days in summer.

Flowering in avocados starts in February, and the harvest is ready in June-July. “Avocados start fruiting in the third year. Currently, I am harvesting the second crop,” he says.

Jalindar says each Arka Supreme plant yields around 110 kg of avocado per season, while it is 80 kg for the Hass variety. “I sell it in the wholesale markets of Solapur and Vashi (Navi Mumbai) at Rs100 per kg and Rs200 per kg, respectively,” he says.

The result is an annual turnover of Rs11 lakh (Rs100 X110 kg X100 trees) from the Indian variety and Rs 16 lakh (Rs200 X 80 kg x 100 trees) from the Mexican Hass variety from a total of one acre, he adds.

As the age of the plant increases, its yield goes up. “So I expect higher output next year,” Jalindar says.

“The maintenance costs are less than Rs2 lakh per acre, including cow dung, vermicompost, chicken manure (to boost nitrogen), irrigation and labour. I make a profit of Rs 24 lakh per acre with avocado farming,” Jalindar adds.

(Rashmi Pratap is a Mumbai-based journalist specialising in financial, business and socio-economic reporting) 

Also Read: This Karnataka farmer clocks Rs 50 lakh per acre from avocado nursery business

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