Kenya opens Fuerte, Pinkerton avocado harvesting season

KENYA – The Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) has officially announced the start of the 2024/2025 avocado harvesting season for Fuerte and Pinkerton varieties.

Harvesting and export for these varieties by sea will begin on February 14, 2025, following months of strict monitoring to ensure quality and maturity.

In October 2024, the AFA suspended sea shipments of avocados to protect market integrity and sustain future harvests. This decision came after a survey revealed insufficient volumes of mature avocados.

“There is currently insufficient volume of the main season crop to warrant sea shipment,” stated the AFA. By halting the harvesting of immature fruits, the authority aims to minimize disruptions to crop cycles and safeguard Kenya’s global reputation for high-quality produce.

A follow-up survey conducted between January 20 and January 23, 2025, confirmed sufficient volumes of Fuerte and Pinkerton varieties for export. However, the main season crop for the Hass variety is not yet ready in all major production regions.

Export clearance for Fuerte and Pinkerton varieties will now require packhouse inspections to guarantee quality. For the Hass variety, air shipment will continue, but only for farms with sufficient volumes of mature off-season crops.

Farms exporting Hass by sea must undergo both farm and packhouse inspections. Exporters found attempting to mislabel Hass as Fuerte to bypass inspections will face immediate suspension of their export licenses for the 2025 season.

This directive applies to all exporters, importers, and processors of avocados in Kenya. “We are committed to maintaining quality and ensuring a stable market for Kenyan avocados,” the AFA emphasized.

Kenya remains a top exporter of avocados, with Hass, Pinkerton, Fuerte, and Jumbo varieties driving the industry. By August 2024, Kenya had exported 16,000 tons of avocados, a significant increase from the 14,000 tons exported during the same period in 2023.

The demand for Kenyan avocados continues to rise, particularly in key markets such as the European Union, China, and the United Arab Emirates.

This growth has encouraged more farmers to invest in avocado farming, boosting production across the country.

The AFA’s measures are crucial to sustaining this momentum. “We are committed to reviewing these measures regularly to ensure a balanced and stable market,” the agency stated.

 

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