PHYSICAL AND TECHNICAL FACTORS INFLUENCING THE YIELD OF ORGANIC AVOCADO (Persea americana Mill.) IN PERU

Abstract

Peru has favorable conditions for organic avocado (Persea americana Mill.) production, which
has allowed a significant expansion of its cultivation in the last decade. However, factors affecting
avocado yield in organic systems have been little discussed. The objectives of this study were to
describe the physical environment in which organic avocado production systems are developed and to determine the technical factors that influence yield in Perú. The study was carried out in four
districts of the province of Huaura, and one district of the province of Barranca, Lima Department,
Perú. The physical environment was described using published secondary-source information.
Producers with organic certification or in transition, suppliers of three exporting companies were
surveyed. Records of each farm were reviewed to collect information on the production process.
Harvest information, export quality and certification were provided by the exporting companies. Farms that use a localized irrigation system had higher yields than those that use gravity irrigation. The factors that had a high degree of positive correlation with yield were applied doses of organic N, phosphorus and potassium (kg ha-1), number of daily wages, and number of applications. There is
a need for a significant improvement in the technical management of the crop to increase yield and
fruit quality.