Avocados: Boom or Bust - Tauranga Cafe Scientifique

Speaker(s): Dr Henry Pak, Technical Manager, Avocado Industry Council (AIC)

Alimento, 72 First Avenue, Tauranga

20th Feb 2012 7:00pm

How the avocado industry is responding to current and future challenges is the focus of Tauranga’s first Café Scientifique of 2012, supported by the University of Waikato.

Avocados: Boom or Bust will be presented by Avocado Industry Council (AIC) Technical Manager Dr Henry Pak, who will outline some of the issues facing the avocado industry and the research in progress.

Irregular cropping – where trees do not produce a viable crop every year – is one of the industry’s most problematic challenges. Inconsistency of supply makes it difficult for exporters to supply a market year on year and commit to consistent volumes when developing new markets. Adverse climatic conditions and management practices can trigger the problem of irregular cropping.

Root rot, pests and diseases on large trees, and long harvest windows are other challenges facing the industry.

Dr Pak has a research background in plant pathology and post-harvest storage and now heads the AIC’s research programme. His role also involves facilitating market access for avocados, mitigating biosecurity issues and managing the export quality system.

Café Scientifique is a forum for debating science issues, where for the price of a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, anyone can come to explore the latest ideas in science and technology.

The Cafe Scientifique series, organised by Julia and Warren Banks and supported by the University of Waikato, aims to promote public engagement and make science accessible.

For more information please email julia.banks@saffronconsulting.co.nz