Article topic: ‘MALUMA’: ESTABLISHING A NEW GENERATION AVOCADO CULTIVAR COMMERCIALLY
Author(s): A.A. Ernst, Z.R. Ernst, E.D. Ernst
Abstract
An industry dominated by a single cultivar, or that produces too few new cultivars, is vulnerable. Ironically no less than 13 fruiting cultivars presently receives intellectual property protection in various countries, of which less than half has established themselves commercially. Presently ‘Hass’ is the world’s premium avocado cultivar, which originated as a chance seedling planted in 1926 by Rudolph Hass in La Habra Heights, California. A plant patent was granted in 1935 in California, which expired in 1952. ‘Hass’ only established itself during the 1970’s, as the initial acceptance of ‘Hass’ by packers, distributors, retailers and end users, as a superior commercial cultivar was slow. ‘Hass’ received resistance because of its fruit being black-skinned, rough and small. ‘Maluma’, a new generation cultivar, was discovered, during the early 1990’s, by Andries Joubert on his farm Maluma in Levubu, South Africa. Plant Breeder’s Rights were granted to Allesbeste Nursery on 7 November 2004 and commercially released, after 8 years of intensive semi-commercial research, during November 2007 at the VI World Avocado Congress, Chilé. Successful commercial establishment in the European Union (EU) and United Kingdom (UK) occurred within another 8 years. This achievement was made possible through the active integration of the following:
• Horticultural attributes
• Marketing attributes
• Competent, loyal participants
• Vibrant trade relationships
• Additional economic value for all participants
• Technical support, able to deal with the critics
• Branding and promotion
• Significant marketable volumes
• Strategic establishment to ensure future 12 months’ market presence
This active integration was achieved through Allesbeste’s vertical integration in all structures from propagation to exporting / marketing, providing a platform for efficiently applying its inherent skills in all fields.
Key words: ‘Hass’, superior commercial cultivar, ‘Maluma’, new generation cultivar, commercial establishment, integration.
