NAIROBI – Kenya has officially started export of avocados to India.
The first consignment of the Kenyan avocados was ceremonially flagged off from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, to India on Saturday September 16.
Present were Crop Development of Government PS Kello Harsama, India High Commissioner to Kenya Namgya Khampa, her counterpart in New Delhi Willy Bett, Agriculture and Food Authority Director General Willis Audi, Agriculture and Food Authority Chairman Cornelly Serem and representatives of exporters as well as other public and private stakeholders.
The move is expected to directly benefit Kenyan farmers, exporters, and Indian consumers.
“The Government of India, responding to Kenya’s request, has officially opened its vast market of approximately 1.4 billion consumers to the Kenyan avocados, following the completion of technical and other requirements. A formal Gazette Notification to this effect was recently issued by the Government of India,” India High Commission said in a statement.
Kenya is one of the largest avocado producers in the world and has high quality avocados of over 40 varieties including the most Hass, Fuerte, Keitt, Reed, Booth 8, Simmonds, Pinkerton, Nabal, Puebla, Tonnage, Ettinger, Hayes, G6 and G7.
“This development also supports the growing two-way trade relations between India and Kenya. Over the years, both nations have strengthened their engagement across multifaceted domains, including trade and investment,” the statement added.
Bilateral trade between India and Kenya remains robust and key pillar of bilateral cooperation. For instance, in 2022-23, two-way trade was $3.39 billion, making Kenya among the largest trading partners of India in Africa.
This offers more market for Kenyan farmers coming at a time exports to China, for instance, hit Sh9 billion ($64.38 million) in the three months to May, defying steep competition in the market from Chile — a top producer of the fruit globally.
Kenya exported seven million kilogrammes to Beijing between March and May this year as more farms and pack houses tapped into the lucrative Chinese market.
According to Kenya Plants Inspectorate Service, the number of exporters who have been licensed to access the Chinese market from January to date shot to 78, comprising 58 farms and 20 pack houses, an increase from 25 last year.
Kephis Principal Inspector George Momanyi has said more farms and pack houses are seeking access to the lucrative Chinese market that offers a good price compared with the traditional European and Middle East markets.
Kenya and India have been carrying out negotiations over the avocado exports deal for the last five years. While Nairobi has begun exporting the fruit to new markets of China and Mauritius, it is still in market access talks with the US and South Korea.
In this regard, Kenya is planning to double its avocado export from Sh15 billion to Sh30 billion annually in the next five years following increasing demand of the country’s produce in the international market.
According to Ernest Muthomi, CEO Avocado Society of Kenya (ASK), Kenya is keen to expanding its target markets globally after the country achieved its China market in June last year with the initial shipments taking place in July and August.
