The weather is crazy! And it's driving the plants and us crazy too. In Peru, we went from a La Niña (lack of rain in the north of the country) to a potential El Niño (excessive rain) in a matter of weeks, which has generated heavy rains and problems on roads and bridges. But what is most worrying is the impact on the avocado harvest.

As we know, plants are more sensitive to these abrupt climate changes than even humans. This has caused avocado trees to become confused and stressed due to the sudden climate shifts, delaying the development of dry matter (an indirect measure of the avocado's oil content, which ensures proper ripening) and, consequently, the fruit's maturation. This has led to a delay in the start of the harvest in the northern fields of the country.

In my opinion, we agronomists have not been able to interpret what was happening and have made decisions that have further delayed the ripening of the fruit, such as excessive irrigation and applications of hormones, especially in fields where the desired sizes were not achieved.

We are facing a complex situation, as the country's harvest could be concentrated in May and June, which would cause market prices to fall. It is important to consider the size distribution curve in this analysis, since each market has a preference for certain sizes. Therefore, we must focus on this to ensure a well-organized harvest and prevent prices from being negatively impacted.

I've been in the industry for many years, and it's amazing how no two years are alike; each year is different, which makes it very challenging. The only factor that varies the most is the weather.

Let's get to work! It's time to make the best decisions and take care of small and medium-sized producers so they can weather this storm.

LET'S GO ALL IN BUT WITHOUT FEAR!! To face the challenges and find solutions to guarantee the sustainability of the avocado industry in Peru.

Alfredo Lira Chirif, Peru alfredo@agroleal.pro