Fifteen years ago, avocados were largely unknown in India, recalls Sunil Bopaiah, a veteran in India's plantation industry and currently group manager at Cottanad Plantations in Wayanad, Kerala. At that time, ripe avocados would often fall from trees and be eaten by dogs, leading to the fruit being called "dog fruit." Cottanad initially introduced avocados as shade trees for coffee plantations but later discovered their commercial potential. A major shift occurred in 2011 when Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty mentioned using avocado for skincare, which led to a surge in demand and a doubling of prices. Today, Cottanad has planted avocados on 40 acres, harvested 10 to 15 tonnes of fruit last year, and plans to boost production to 40 to 50 tonnes in three to four years. They adapted their growing techniques after consulting with South African experts, using raised beds and wider spacing to prevent disease in avocado roots. India currently imports about 15,000 tonnes of avocados annually, while domestic production stands at around 8,000 to 9,000 tonnes, according to Manilal Palliyath, an industry promoter. He sees avocados as a promising crop for Indian farmers, especially as traditional crops like coffee and pepper face challenges due to climate change. However, Hussain Shahzad, an executive chef in Mumbai, notes that Indian-grown avocados can vary in quality and availability depending on the season and region. While he prefers imported avocados for their consistent flavor, texture, and ripening, he remains open to exploring better local produce as it improves. To match the quality of imported avocados, some Indian entrepreneurs are focusing on improving local cultivation. Harshit Godha, founder of Indo-Israel Avocado Nursery in Bhopal, supplies around 18,000 avocado plants to farmers across the country. He gained his knowledge in Israel, where avocados are grown on about 13,000 hectares despite limited rainfall. Godha emphasizes that commercial avocado farming requires precise techniques, including aggressive pruning and planting two different varieties for proper pollination. Even with advanced irrigation, incorrect planting ratios can lead to failed orchards. Dr. Ganeshan Karunakaran, a principal scientist at the ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research in Bengaluru, highlights that Indian avocado trees are genetically diverse, resulting in inconsistent fruit quality. He is working on breeding programs to provide farmers with uniform, high-yielding, and high-quality planting material. He also warns about unregulated nurseries selling diseased plants, which can lead to financial losses for farmers. Despite these challenges, farmers like Shiju Sebastian in Wayanad, Kerala, are optimistic about avocado farming. He has been growing avocados on two acres for eight years and harvested 3,500kg of fruit this year, all sold in Bengaluru. He plans to expand his avocado farming in the future.