Feb 26, Colombo: The Ministry of Agriculture says that the cultivation of Hass avocado variety as a commercial crop will be expanded in Sri Lanka to earn dollars for the country.

The cultivation development work is being done under the Agricultural Sector Modernization Project, which supports agricultural diversification and technology improvements and supported by foreign funds.

Currently, an attempt is being made by the plantation sector to grow avocado on a large scale as an alternative to traditional export crops such as tea, rubber and coconut, under a new crop diversification project.

Under the first phase of the project, 200 acres of land has been selected in Badulla district for avocado cultivation. The saplings of Hass avocado species were imported from Australia and planted in the Bandarawela area.

The specialty of the Hass avocado variety is that there is a huge demand in the international market for the health-friendly avocado oil that is produced using the buttery pulp as well as its use as a fruit, the Ministry of Agriculture said.

The Agriculture Sector Modernization Project has selected about 1000 families in Badulla district who can cultivate and the ministry says that they will be provided with all the necessary technology, plants and financial support to grow the Hass avocado species.

In three years this cultivation can earn income and one tree can yield 200 kg of avocados, the Ministry said.