Why Nigeria’s SAPZ should explore avocado farming?

Avocado farming in Nigeria is yet to see a boost as many people are still planting pear on a subsistence basis. Only a few are now cultivating it as a cash crop for large-scale commercial purposes, even though it has a readily available market worldwide. The fruit, a naturally nutrient-dense food that contains high vitamins and minerals, is also known as “green gold” for its high prices, and because it can generate foreign exchange in large volumes annually. However, government’s efforts to boost agricultural production and productivity through enhancing market linkages and industrialisation are mostly directed towards the development of commodities, such as cocoa, rice and maize, with little or no emphasis on under-explored plant species such as avocado. The recently launched Special Agro-industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) programme in Nigeria focuses on, cocoa, rice, maize, beef, dairy livestock, tomato, cassava, ginger, groundnuts, sesame oil, poultry, fisheries, and soybean ...