Sub-tropical &

Temperate fruit
crops
Production &
management
Chapter 1. Introduction
 Importance
 Present status and future potential
 Problems and possible solutions

2
 1.1. Importance of fruit production
A) Nutritional value
Most fruits are rich source of vitamins A and C
God source of CH2O, Protein, Calories, etc
Fat and oil (Avocado)
Protein and oil (Nut)
Fruits are ready made food.
B) Social, health and economic importance
Provide employments for family
Used for exports and for local market (for income generate)
Have great medicinal value.
Firewood, animal feed, as fencing materials, etc.
C) Environmental benefits: Wind break, soil conservation,
shade, ornamental purpose, etc.
3
 1.2. Status of fruit crop production in the world
1. Those having a production of more than 10 million tones
per year.
e.g- grape, citrus, apple, plantains and Mango
2. Those producing more than 1 million tones, but less
than 10 million tones per year.
 e.g- pear, avocado, papaya, peach, plum, pineapple, and
strawberry
3. Those with production figures of more than 100,000
tones but less than 1 millions tones per year.
 e.g- cashew nut
4. The rest for which there are no reliable statistics
 e.g- Guava, Brazil nut, litchi, macadamia and sour
orange.
5
 Present status of fruit production and
research in Ethiopia
 The Ethiopia climate and soil condition is good for suitable
growth of fruits.
– So both tropical and subtropical fruit crops can be
grown (with limitation)
– In addition, temperate crops like apple, peach, grapes
can be grown in the high land of the country.
 Most of fruit crops comes from peasant sectors and
produced using rainfall
– Production under irrigation condition is limited some
state farms.
– About 25-30% yield loss is common due to disease and
pest problems, poor storage and transport facilities,
etc… 6
 Opportunities (prospects) in the
country
 Presence of favorable agro-ecological condition
 Presence of abundant natural resources
 Presence of abundant and warm labor force
 Proximity to lucrative markets
 Rise of demand for horticultural crops
 Export possibilities of these crops.
 Good government policy for agricultural investment

7
 1.3. Major problems limiting expansion of fruit
industry in Ethiopia
 Problems involved in the development of fruit industry
in Ethiopia.
1. Lack of knowledge about production /cultivation
 Their importance is not well known
 Their use as source of income is limited
 Hence, the quality and quantity of production is below the
standard.

2. Lack of research and extension works

– Emphasis is not given to fruit production
– Very low number of qualified person.
– Fruits are perennial they are not attractive for researcher

8
3. Disease, pests and salinity problems
– Salinity problem in lower Awash makes > 100 ha of
banana farm out of production
– Nematodes in upper Awash in banana field
– Fruit fly in Guava in the upper Awash and
– Other fungal disease in citrus
4. Lack of improved planting materials
– There is no improved seed
– There is no enterprise that produced certified planting
material
– Therefore, farmers are forced to use local cultivars
5. Marketing and handling problems.
– The supply of fruit crops are not uniform through out
the year so there is marketing problem. 9
 Solutions
–Improve the quality
–Control disease and pest
–Improve infrastructure
–Constructions of cold rooms (storage)
–Transfer technology
–Improving post harvest practices
–Given more attention to the PHT

10