REPORT ON AVOCADO ORCHARD VISITS IN PERU, SEPTEMBER 2015 Simon Newett, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland Contents Avocado industry in Peru .................................................................................................................... 4 Chiclayo region ................................................................................................................................ 5 CASABLANCA FARM, NEAR CHICLAYO - WED SEP 9TH ....................................................................... 6 Soil ................................................................................................................................................... 6 Tree production and establishment................................................................................................ 6 Varieties, rootstocks and spacing ................................................................................................... 8 Irrigation .......................................................................................................................................... 9 Nutrition .......................................................................................................................................... 9 Pests and diseases......................................................................................................................... 10 Canopy management .................................................................................................................... 11 Flowering and fruitset ................................................................................................................... 12 Harvest and yields ......................................................................................................................... 12 Labour ........................................................................................................................................... 13 AGRICOLA CERRO PRIETO ACP FARM, NEAR CHICLAYO - THU SEP 10TH ...................................... 14 Climate .......................................................................................................................................... 14 Soil ................................................................................................................................................. 14 Varieties, rootstocks and spacing ................................................................................................. 14 Irrigation ........................................................................................................................................ 15 Nutrition ........................................................................................................................................ 18 Pests and diseases......................................................................................................................... 18 Canopy management .................................................................................................................... 18 Flowering and fruitset ................................................................................................................... 18 Harvest, yields and fruit size ......................................................................................................... 19 Packing .......................................................................................................................................... 20 Export ............................................................................................................................................ 22 Production costs ........................................................................................................................... 23 Labour ........................................................................................................................................... 23 Trujillo region .................................................................................................................................... 23 1 ARATO MONTEGRANDE, NEAR TRUJILLO - FRI SEP 11TH ................................................................ 24 Climate and soil ............................................................................................................................. 26 Tree production and establishment.............................................................................................. 26 Varieties, rootstocks and spacing ................................................................................................. 27 Irrigation ........................................................................................................................................ 27 Nutrition ........................................................................................................................................ 27 Pests and diseases......................................................................................................................... 29 Canopy management .................................................................................................................... 29 Flowering and fruitset ................................................................................................................... 30 Harvesting and wages ................................................................................................................... 30 Computer control .......................................................................................................................... 30 AVO PERÚ S.A.C. EN SUEÑO ORCHARD, NEAR TRUJILLO - SAT SEP 12TH ...................................... 32 Development costs, tree production and establishment ............................................................. 32 Varieties, rootstocks and spacing ................................................................................................. 34 Irrigation ........................................................................................................................................ 34 Nutrition ........................................................................................................................................ 35 Pests and diseases......................................................................................................................... 37 Canopy management .................................................................................................................... 37 Flowering and fruitset ................................................................................................................... 38 Yields ............................................................................................................................................. 39 Tree productivity rating system .................................................................................................... 40 CONGRESS FIELD TRIP, LA CALERA - WED 16TH ............................................................................... 41 La Calea Agiultual Busiess ................................................................................................... 41 La Calera farm ............................................................................................................................... 42 Climate .......................................................................................................................................... 43 Soil ................................................................................................................................................. 43 Varieties, rootstocks and spacing ................................................................................................. 43 Irrigation ........................................................................................................................................ 43 Nutrition ........................................................................................................................................ 44 Pests .............................................................................................................................................. 44 Canopy management .................................................................................................................... 44 Flowering and fruitset ................................................................................................................... 44 Harvest and yields ......................................................................................................................... 45 Labour ........................................................................................................................................... 45 2 CONGRESS FIELD TRIP, AGRICOLA HOJA REDONDO SA - WED 16TH ............................................... 46 Varieties, rootstocks and spacing ................................................................................................. 46 Flowering and fruitset ................................................................................................................... 47 Irrigation ........................................................................................................................................ 47 Nutrition ........................................................................................................................................ 47 Pests