Avocado farming transforms lives in Menglian County, SW China’s Yunnan

With the growing popularity of healthy living in China, avocados—dubbed the "forest butter" for their rich protein and unsaturated fats—have become a favorite among urban fitness enthusiasts. Once predominantly imported, avocados are now thriving in China, particularly in Menglian Dai-Lahu-Va Autonomous County, Pu’er City, Yunnan Province.

Menglian, situated on the same "golden latitude" as Mexico, boasts ideal conditions for avocado cultivation, including over 2,100 hours of sunlight annually and more than 1,300 mm of rainfall. "Our lush greenery and healthy ecological environment enable us to produce high-quality avocados on a large scale," said Han Bo, the county's deputy head.

The county has made significant strides since introducing avocado farming in 2007. Collaborations with domestic and international experts have facilitated research, seed testing, and large-scale cultivation. Today, Menglian’s avocado planting area exceeds 100,000 mu (about 6,667 hectares), with a projected annual harvest of over 10,000 tonnes worth more than 300 million yuan (approximately 42 million USD).

This agricultural transformation has provided substantial economic benefits to local farmers. Each participating household sees an average income increase of over 3,000 yuan annually. For locals like Naduo, a 53-year-old resident of Nanya Village, the shift to avocado farming has been life-changing. Encouraged by village officials in 2018, Naduo transitioned her two hectares of land from sugarcane and corn to avocados, joining a local cooperative.

Though unfamiliar with avocados initially, Naduo embraced the opportunity, learning planting techniques and becoming a caretaker for cooperative-owned avocado trees. Her efforts now yield an additional annual income of 22,000 yuan for her family.

Avocado farming has also spurred culinary innovation in Yunnan. Locals use avocados in fresh dishes, milkshakes, and traditional ethnic cuisine, creating unique avocado banquets. Meanwhile, chefs in Yunnan’s capital city, Kunming, have embraced the fruit. Chen Haixing, executive chef at Kunming Huayi Hotel, has refined his use of avocados over 12 years. His creations, such as a cold dish combining avocados and Yunnan’s tree tomatoes, have won consumer acclaim.

Menglian’s avocado industry is not just cultivating fruit but also fostering economic growth, creating jobs, and enriching China’s culinary landscape, marking it as a shining example of agricultural innovation.