Maluma, a predominantly Guatemalan cultivar with some Mexican genes, was discovered in the early 1990’s by Mr. Dries Joubert on his farm Maluma, South Africa, as a chance seedling of unknown parentage, due to its similarity to Hass. Joubert handed over Maluma to Allesbeste Nursery, under the watchful eye of Dr. Andre Ernst, for further development and research. Maluma was then evaluated in respect
of numerous factors of importance to both the producer as well as the consumer, such as productivity, exportability, shelf life, ripening, quality, internal as well as external appearance, taste and many other. After Maluma’s potential was realised protection of Plant Breeder’s Rights in South Africa was applied for and granted during 2004. Maluma is the first South African cultivar to reach the world stage by having achieved full export status during 2006. Maluma was officially unveiled to the world at the VI World Avocado Congress in Chile, November 2007. Since 2007 many entities from different countries across the globe have expressed their interest in this new early bearing Hass-like cultivar. Maluma currently enjoys full plant protection in South Africa (ZA 20043215) and the USA (US PP21,099 P3). Plant Breeder’s Rights are pending in Australia, New Zealand, Peru, Chile, Israel, Spain and Morocco.
