Kenya freezes avocado sea exports as productivity dips
The government has announced a stoppage in the export of various avocado varieties via sea freight citing a shortage in production in local farms. In a notice on Tuesday, the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) said players will not export any consignments via the sea starting Friday, 25th October 2024.
“The closing of Hass, Pinkerton, Fuerte, and Jumbo harvesting season for sea shipment for the 2024/2025 fiscal year will come into force with effect from October 25, 2024,” AFA Director-General Dr. Bruno Linyiru stated.
“The export of Hass, Fuerte, Pinkerton, and Jumbo varieties will continue by air shipment. Export clearances shall be granted subject to inspection by the Directorate. Traceability information will be required for all consignments. The notice applies to all exporters, importers, and processors of avocado fruit,” he added.
The decision to ban the export of the three avocado varieties through sea freight was reached following a survey that indicated insufficient avocado production in the current season.
The ban is, therefore, meant to sustain and grow Kenya’s international markets by reducing the interruption of the crops’ cycle that is occasioned by the harvesting of immature avocados to meet demands during peak export seasons.
A countrywide survey carried out by the AFA Directorate indicated that through monitored harvest trends in major avocado production zones in the region, there are currently insufficient volumes of main season crops to warrant exportation.
The Directorate, who intends to further monitor avocado maturity trends and patterns said they will review the notice in the first week of December 2024 and guide appropriately. The watchdog also cautioned mango exporters not to mix their consignments with avocado fruits and conceal them for sea freight.
“It has come to our attention that following the closure of the avocado harvesting season and export by sea, some exporters mix consignments of mango with avocado for sea shipment. This is against the provisions of the Crops (Horticultural Crops) Regulations, 2020 Section 20(5),” noted the directorate.
All fruit exporters have since been directed to undergo inspection by the directorate of inspection before an export certificate was issued in line with the Horticulture and Crops Regulations 2020, ahead of the season.
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