Since the Maluma was registered as a variety in 2004, it has gained a foothold in the main avocado producing countries, such as Peru and Spain, where its growth is expected to continue thanks to its unique characteristics.
"In Latin America, the largest Maluma plantations are in Peru, where there are about 500-600 hectares. In Peru, the Maluma plant has shown to grow earlier, managing to deliver its first important harvest in the second year after being planted, and the fruit arrives also earlier in the season. In the northern area of the country, it can be ready up to 2 months earlier than the Hass variety," said Odilo Duarte. "This leads us to believe that the Maluma will continue expanding in that area of the country."
However, this is not the only advantage of the variety developed by Allesbeste. "The Maluma shows very little alternation and its fruit is on average always two sizes larger than the Hass, which could compensate for the smaller size of the fruit produced in the northern region of Piura," said Odilo.
"Also, well-managed plantations can produce around 20-30% more fruit than Hass plantations," added his son Rodrigo Duarte. "The Maluma tree is less vigorous, so it allows 5x2 planting frames; in South Africa, Allesbeste is even testing plantations in 4x2 frames and trellised crops."
"Since it is less vigorous, it requires less pruning and does not require the use of paclobutrazol, which also makes the seed larger. This is cost-saving for the grower and more environmentally-friendly, and the consumer gets the chance to purchase a fruit with a higher proportion of pulp." Besides, it has been observed in some areas of Peru that the Maluma needs less irrigation water than the Hass to achieve optimal results.
However, the main challenge with the Maluma is the post-harvest, because, as pointed out by Odilo, "the avocado industry is dominated by the Hass variety, and all post-harvest management is oriented towards it."
After the harvest, the Maluma fruit breathes more than the Hass, but that is precisely why a more uniform ripening is observed in the chamber. "The key is to cool the avocados the same day they are harvested, and with a correct cooling protocol, they can travel as well as the Hass and, once ripe and ready to eat, preliminary tests have shown that it has a shelf life of up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator without any internal quality losses. It is important to convey the message that the protocols for the different avocado varieties need to be diversified and we are going to do just that at the next congress in New Zealand, in April," said Rodrigo Duarte.
"In Europe, there are players who are already asking us for the Maluma, and there are supermarkets that are very interested in being able to have 12-month programs."
"There are many varieties on the market, but we are confident that the Maluma will continue to gain followers. Of the new varieties, it is the one that has gained the most ground, because the Maluma is simply a better fruit," he said.
50% of Maluma plantations in Spain are in the Region of Valencia
Maluma's expansion has also been significant in Spain, where Viveros Blanco is in charge of distributing the variety exclusively for Europe and Morocco. "In 2010, we brought the first mother trees, and we spent 4 years evaluating the variety and its behavior in Spain. The first commercial plantings were made in 2015 and we started producing large quantities of the Maluma in 2019," recalls Rubén Blanco. "As of today, we have bred about 128,500 trees and developed about 330 hectares. 90% of these trees have been planted in Spain, 5% in Portugal and 2.5%, respectively, in France and Italy. Also, some 100 hectares have been planted in Morocco."
It should be noted that of all the trees planted in Spain, 50% are in the Region of Valencia. "The Maluma variety has an important advantage in Spain and that is that it can begin to be harvested in mid-October, almost a month ahead of the Hass, coinciding with the end of the Chilean season, so high prices can be obtained, as it is the first Hass-like fruit to reach the market."
"The Region of Valencia is an area where avocado cultivation is expanding. A lot of Lamb Hass has been planted recently. This variety offers a much later window, but competes in the market with the beginning of the Peruvian season, so the Maluma is the variety of choice for new plantations. In addition, as in Peru, its lower vegetative vigorousness allows for better plantation management, with less pruning and an average productivity of between 15,000 and 20,000 kilos per hectare. "And with high average calibers," said Rubén.
It is undeniable that in a market as competitive as the avocado market, in which the seasons are so well defined, the choice of the right variety is decisive for the fruit to achieve the best results possible, and the Maluma has everything in its favor to help achieve them. "The demand for the Maluma has been growing every year, to the point that, out of all the plants produced in our nursery, 40% are already grafted from Maluma," said Rubén.
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