Germany is one of Europe’s giants in importing avocados. The highly urbanized country provides a lucrative market for the fruit. Around 77% of the citizens live in cities and towns with a huge number of them living around the capital, Berlin.
As Europe’s most populous country, Germany is quickly becoming a target for avocado exports. Avocado is now popular in the western European nation because promotion of the health benefits of the fruit is getting wider. Due to the strong economic position of Germany, avocado demand is set to go up in the coming years.
Germany Avocado Imports
Considering that avocado production in Germany is non-existent, imported avocados flood the domestic market for most part of the year. In 2023, Germany shipped in almost 157,000 tonnes of avocado. It is a 20% increase from the previous year, it is another record high since 2019.
Over the past decade, avocado imports in Germany have recorded growth year after year. The highest jump in volume was recorded from 2017 to 2018 at 28%. The peak volume was in the year 2023 at 156,779 tonnes.
Here is the import volume of avocados in Germany between 2012 and 2023.
Importing Avocados in Germany
Here is a step by step guide on how to import avocados in Germany:
Avocado Supplying Countries to Germany
The avocado import market in Germany is dominated by Peru. Kenya is among the top 10 suppliers. It has gained in market share from exporting avocados worth 700,000 US Dollars to reach about 36 million US Dollars. The German avocado market is made up of a diversity of sources.
The other key avocado supplying countries to Germany are:
- Chile
- Spain
- Israel
- South Africa
- Colombia
It also imports avocado in small volumes from countries like:
- The Netherlands
- Mexico
- Morocco
Germany brings avocado from abroad through its main airport. Avocados get into the country as air freight by way of the Frankfurt Airport. The airport has a cargo terminal and cold storage rooms to keep avocados fresh as they were when harvested.
The other way avocados enter Germany is through its main commercial sea port. Avocados get into the country as sea freight by way of the Port of Hamburg. The sea port has a modern container terminal.
How to Know Reliable Avocado Suppliers in Germany
Avocado importers in Germany must present the following documents for their shipment to be released by the customs office:
- Import permit
- Commercial invoice
- Packing list
- Bill of Lading or Airway Bill
- Phytosanitary Certificate
- Certificate of Origin
Sourcing Avocados from Kenya
Here are some advantages Kenya has in supplying avocados to Germany:
- It has a longer season that lasts from February to October.
- Production costs are low therefore avocados from Kenya are competitively priced.
- Most of Kenya is covered by a sub-tropical climate which ensures consistency of quality and supply.
Average Transit Time of Importing Avocados in Germany
| COUNTRY | AIR FREIGHT | SEA FREIGHT |
| Kenya | 8 hours 20 minutes | 30 days |
| Peru | 13 hours 50 minutes | 35 days |
| South Africa | 11 hours 40 minutes | 32 days |
Here is a top avocado exporter in Kenya.
Freshela Exporters
Freshela is a Kenyan based company that engages in the sourcing, processing and exporting of avocados and other fresh produce.
Freshela is a proud exporter of Kenyan avocados. We source avocados from our company farm and partner farms.
We give competitive pricing to our customers and guarantee reliable delivery time.
We use a modern grading machine to achieve desired avocado weight. The fruit is also graded to eliminate any with physical quality defects.
We pack avocado fruit for both air and sea freights. All of our avocado packing is approved by FDA and is certified by HACCP Quality Assurance.