Yunnan Ximeng: Intercropping Avocado and Coffee for Dual Income from One Plot

Recently, in Longkan Village, Wenggake Town, Ximeng Va Autonomous County, Pu’er City, Yunnan, avocados have entered the mature harvesting period one after another. Large-scale grower Deng Tongyin is organizing workers to pick, sort, and load the fruit.

“The altitude and climate here suit avocado growing. We started with a trial planting of 1,000 trees, then expanded year by year; now the planting area is over 200 mu, and we plan to add another 100–200 mu next year,” Deng said. Currently about 100 mu are bearing fruit, with an annual output of 40–50 tonnes; at the harvest peak, 5–6 tonnes are picked daily, and all fruit is pre-ordered by buyers before picking.

Beneath the avocado trees, the intercropped coffee trees are also heavy with red cherries. “The avocados are nearly picked; in about 20 days the coffee will be ready too—there’s work and income all year round,” Deng said.

The industry’s development has brought nearby residents employment close to home. Namei, a villager from Yongmielie Group in Longkan Village, is grading avocados by size into baskets. “I come to work for fertilizing and picking, 110 yuan a day—I can look after my family and increase my income at the same time,” Namei said.

Encouraged by the demonstration of large growers, more and more villagers in Longkan Village are developing avocado planting and intercropping coffee beneath the trees. Villager Yan Dong planted 6 mu of avocado this year with coffee intercropped underneath. “Dual use of one plot, dual income—much better than single cropping in the past,” Yan Dong said.

Based on its mountain resources, Wenggake Town promotes intercropping coffee with avocado. Avocado trees provide moderate shade for the coffee and return leaf litter to improve the soil, achieving dual returns without adding new land and reducing the market risk of a single industry.

As of now, Wenggake Town’s avocado planting area has reached 2,045.89 mu (including intercropping), of which over 200 mu are bearing and in production. (By Ai Ga)

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