Farmers in Kerala’s Wayanad Turned a Backyard Fruit Into a Booming Avocado Industry

Nestled in the highlands of Kerala’s Wayanad district, Ambalavayal village basks in a cool subtropical climate — ideal for horticulture.

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Its landscape is richly layered with coffee, pepper, rice, ginger, turmeric, clove, cinnamon, and cool-season vegetables. Yet, it is the quiet rise of avocado cultivation — now a staple in nearly every backyard — that is reshaping the village’s identity.

Just 10 km from Sulthan Bathery, Ambalavayal has become an unexpected epicentre for this creamy, nutrient-rich fruit. Commonly known as the butter fruit in India, avocado (Persea americana) originated in Mexico and was introduced to India by American missionaries from Sri Lanka in the 19th century.

Ambalavayal’s avocados are known for their smooth, creamy texture and subtle blend of nutty and mildly sweet flavours — qualities that have earned them their affectionate local name. Their well-formed shape and vibrant skin reflect the region’s misty climate and fertile soil, which together lend the fruit its distinctive richness and appeal.

It can grow and survive in various agro-climatic conditions, ranging from true tropical to the warmer parts of the temperate zone, depending on the race and variety. In India, it is grown on a limited scale as a homestead crop or intercrop in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and certain parts of the Northeast region.

A 75-year-old legacy

“Ambalavayal has a long association with avocados. We have a 75-year-old tree planted in 1947 by British officers as part of a post-war resettlement on our campus,” says Dr C K Yamini Varma, Associate Director of Research and Dean, Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS).

“The planting material from this initiative was later distributed across Kerala, becoming the foundation for wider avocado cultivation.”

Today, RARS Ambalavayal safeguards a living repository of over 400 avocado trees, representing a diverse range of varieties including Tallack, Ellar, Round, Purple, and Fuerte. It was here that Kerala’s earliest scientific studies on avocado — including postgraduate research — first took root. The station now serves as a leading nursery and research hub, providing high-quality planting material to farmers across Kerala and neighbouring states.

Why avocados matter

Rich in monounsaturated fat, the consumption of avocado helps to lower LDL cholesterol and boost HDL cholesterol, contributing to cardiovascular health. Its pulp is a rich source of protein and fat (up to 30%) but low in carbohydrates.

In India, avocado is mainly used for the preparation of milkshakes or consumed as fresh fruit by adding sugar. Generally, avocados are used for preparing guacamole, sandwich fillings, salads, ice creams, burgers, pizza, toast, etc. They are also used in the cosmetic industry for making shampoos, soaps, lipsticks, and face creams due to their high fat content.

Three types of avocados

“While the global market remains largely dominated by the Hass variety (accounting for over 80% of trade), other varieties — including hybrids of Mexican, Guatemalan, and West Indian origin — are gaining traction in the Indian market due to their broader availability, consumer acceptance, and competitive pricing.

The avocado value chain encompasses sustainable farming, handling, and innovative processing for value addition,” said Dr Varma.

In India, only two varieties have been released so far — TKD-1, the maiden avocado variety released in the country from the Horticulture Research Station, Thadiyankudisai (Tamil Nadu), and Arka Supreme, a high-yielding and regular-bearing seedling selection released from the Central Horticultural Experiment Station, Chettalli (Karnataka), according to Avocado Cultivation in India.

Ambalavayal’s first avocado fest

This July, Ambalavayal hosted its inaugural Avocado Fest — a collaborative effort by the Ambalavayal Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Wayanad Hill Farmer Producer Company, and the local Grama Panchayat. Over two days, the event drew nearly 500 farmers, reigniting enthusiasm and confidence in avocado cultivation.

It featured expert training sessions on scientific farming methods, economic potential, value-added product innovations, and market strategies, aimed at helping farmers increase incomes and tap into new markets.

Farmers, researchers, and traders came together to explore advancements in avocado farming and branding. The event also included competitions for the best avocado and best avocado-based recipe, and recognition of top-performing farmers, which added to the festive spirit.

Despite challenges such as recent price drops and issues in harvesting and packaging, the festival fostered optimism about the future of avocado farming in the region. There was a strong focus on innovation, quality improvement, and branding to elevate Ambalavayal avocados to the global market.

Overall, the festival was a vibrant celebration of local agriculture and a platform for knowledge sharing and collective growth in the avocado sector.

“We intend to make this an annual celebration,” said K Shameer, Vice-President of the Ambalavayal Grama Panchayat. “We aim to scale up avocado farming, which is seeing strong demand in urban markets, and thereby boost farmers’ earnings.”

Rising hubs 

Thanks to the distinctive agro-climatic conditions of the Western Ghats, regions like Wayanad, Kodaikanal, and Madikeri have emerged as promising hubs for avocado cultivation. A growing network of farmers is already tapping into this potential.

Dr Varma, the visionary behind the Avocado Fest, explains, “The avocado sector continues to grapple with deep-rooted challenges — from limited scientific clarity on optimal cultivation methods to poor post-harvest infrastructure and restricted opportunities for value addition and market access. 

In response, we launched the National Avocado Workshop: a vibrant forum for knowledge exchange that united experts from national research institutions, agricultural universities, policymakers, exporters, traders, and progressive farmers. Our mission was simple yet ambitious — to ignite collaborative conversations, showcase successful practices, and forge new pathways for sustainable avocado cultivation and enterprise growth across India.”

With minimal investment and high returns ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 50,000 per plant when cultivated scientifically, avocado farming has become a lifeline — particularly as other crops have failed. Every year, tonnes of avocados are shipped from Ambalavayal, especially during June and July, further boosting its reputation as an agricultural hub.

Rise of new growers

A new generation of growers is turning this once pepper-and-coffee-dominated landscape into the state’s emerging avocado heartland.

Among them is thirty-five-year-old Mohammed Mustafa, a hospitality postgraduate whose life took a verdant turn when he chose to nurture his family’s two-decade-old orchard.

What began with his father’s modest planting of around 20 avocado trees has since blossomed into a thriving grove of over 300 trees under Mustafa’s stewardship. The orchard, shaded by the broad-leaved canopy of mature avocado trees, hums with quiet productivity. He says he’s picked up a practice from Kenyan farmers who keep their trees under six feet tall, since anything taller makes harvesting more challenging.

“The survival rate of avocado seedlings is significantly higher than grafted ones,” Mustafa explains, gently cradling a fruit that weighs nearly a kilogram.

“Grafted trees do bear fruit earlier, but the seedlings — though slower — yield much more in the long run.” His approach reflects a patient, long-view philosophy that’s increasingly common among Ambalavayal’s growers.

Avocados in this region bear fruit twice annually — first in February and then again in June.

The February crop is especially lucrative, fetching premium rates of Rs 300 to Rs 400 per kilogram. These rich, green fruits rarely linger in local markets; they’re quickly packed and dispatched to metropolitan hubs like Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, and Bengaluru, where the appetite for exotic produce is booming.

In stark contrast, the June harvest struggles to find value, selling for a mere Rs 70 per kilogram due to oversupply, quality differences, and market timing.

Lack of infrastructure

Despite Ambalavayal’s rise as a thriving avocado hub — driven largely by the initiative of individual farmers — the lack of essential infrastructure such as cold storage, transport networks, and processing units continues to undermine their negotiating power with traders.

Avocado growers here also face pest and disease challenges that threaten yield and fruit quality. Common pests include thrips, lace bugs, scale insects, spider mites, and fruit flies, which cause damage ranging from leaf discolouration and defoliation to scarring and premature fruit drop. Root diseases such as Phytophthora root rot and anthracnose further affect tree health and productivity.

To address these, farmers follow an integrated pest management (IPM) approach — combining pruning, irrigation management, orchard hygiene, and the use of biological controls like neem oil and predatory mites. Regular monitoring, balanced fertilisation, and use of disease-resistant rootstocks help maintain healthy orchards and ensure high-quality fruits.

New growers

Martin Poulose, 36, is another key figure in this quiet revolution. On his sprawling 50-acre farm, where coffee, tea, and pepper once reigned supreme, he now cultivates 400 avocado trees. “I ramped up planting after Covid-19,” he says. “The pandemic changed consumer habits — suddenly, everyone wanted immunity-boosting, nutrient-rich fruits. Avocado fit the bill perfectly.”

But for Mustafa, Poulose, and their close-knit circle of farmer-innovators, the journey doesn’t end at harvest. They’re now venturing into value addition, aiming to transform their produce into shelf-ready products.

“We’ve zeroed in on two ideas — an avocado sandwich spread and ready-to-eat guacamole,” Mustafa shares with a grin. The goal is to create products that are not only delicious but also rooted in regional identity.

Together, these farmers are not just cultivating fruit — they’re cultivating a future. One where Ambalavayal’s name might soon be synonymous not just with scenic beauty, but with India’s finest avocados.

Sources:‘Effect of Avocado Consumption on Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis’: by Alexander Muacevic, John R Adler, Published in June 2023

‘Impact of avocado-enriched diets on plasma lipoproteins: A meta-analysis’: by, Sachin A Shah, Published in 2026