Kenya closes avocado harvest season, bans exports by sea
Kenya’s exports of avocado to China hit Sh7 billion in three months to October exceeding the earnings that were realised in the first seven months of the year.
The horticulture regulator has frozen avocado harvests and exports by sea from November 15 to prevent pre-mature harvesting of popular varieties of fruit including Hass, Fuerte, Pinkerton, Jumbo.
Head of Horticulture Crops Directorate Benjamin Tito said growers will not be allowed to export the popular avocado varieties by sea after November 15.
“In order to safeguard the industry, the directorate undertook a survey to ascertain avocado maturity and projected volumes and found there were insufficient mature fruits in orchards across the country,” he said in a notice.
“Harvesting of off-season crop is inadequate to warrant shipment by sea and will interfere with the cropping cycle of the trees thereby reducing projected volumes in subsequent harvests” Mr Tito added.
The official said meetings with stakeholders on the matter resolved to block shipments by sea after November 15 to limit illegal harvesting.
“Export clearance shall only be by air subject to inspection and approval by the directorate including fruits from the East African Community member states unless transhipment,” Mr Tito said.
The Directorate in March this year re-opened avocado exports as the country sought to capitalise on a global shortage of the commodity.
Growers were allowed to export the Fuerte and Hass varieties from March 4 and March 18, respectively.
Exports of the two varieties had been stopped late last year to curb the harvest of the immature crop following previous rampant cases of traders picking young crops to capitalise on high prices of the commodity at the international market.
Kenya growers are keen to capitalise on opportunities in new markets such as China where the demand for avocado has grown exponentially.
Kenya’s exports of avocado to China hit Sh7 billion in three months to October exceeding the earnings that were realised in the first seven months of the year, highlighting the importance of the Asian market, which started importing the commodity in August.
In comparison, the country earned Sh6 billion from avocado exports to China between January and July, according to the horticulture regulator.
