No matter the nationality, people simply love the taste of avocado. On the other hand, others love the fruit for its countless health benefits. The avocado’s unique flavor and versatility have made it one of the best-selling fruits in the world.
Why Avocados Thrive in Kenya
Avocado is among the oldest known horticultural crops in Kenya. Actually, the country has been introducing new avocado cultivars since 1965, according to a report by the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF). The researcher found that Kenya even exported avocado for the first time in 1970.
Kenya’s physical geography and climate is the perfect place for growing incredible avocados. It experiences a subtropical climate with warm summer months and mild winter months. Both the western and central highlands enjoy much rainfall and little temperature variations due to elevation while its hot and humid along the coast. The other avocado growing conditions in Kenya are:
- Many areas are at an altitude of 1500m-2100m above sea level.
- Many areas enjoy 1000mm-1600mm of rainfall that is well distributed throughout the year.
- Many areas experience temperatures as low as 14°C and as high as 28°C.
- Many areas have at least 6 hours of sunshine per day.
- Many areas have medium sandy or loam soils with a pH of 5-6.5
The biggest avocado producing areas in Kenya are in fertile plains and valleys. In addition, avocado trees are quickly being cultivated on hillsides. Areas under huge avocado cultivation are:
- Murang’a
- Kiambu
- Kisii
- Nyamira
- Bomet
- Embu
Kenya is home to all three botanical races of avocado. Hybrids developed from the Mexican, Guatemalan and West Indian races are also found in the country. There are over 40 avocado varieties grown in Kenya according to the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO). Some of them include:
- Hass
- Fuerte
- Puebla
- Pinkerton
- Reed
Although many types of avocado are available in Kenya, there are only three main ones that are grown commercially. While Hass and Fuerte are mainly grown for export, the other types are grown for the domestic market. Here are the three most common avocado varieties in Kenya with their characteristics:
Hass Avocado
- It has a rich, nutty flavor with buttery, creamy texture
- Its skin turns from green to purplish-black when ripe
- It is an oval-shaped fruit with rough, pebbly skin
- It is a medium to large fruit (140g–336g)
- It takes less time to mature
Fuerte Avocado
- It is a pear-shaped fruit with a smooth, leathery green skin that is easy to peel
- It is a medium to large fruit (140g–392g)
- It has a rich, oily, creamy texture
Jumbo or Kienyeji Avocado
- They are made up of local varieties such as Puebla, Pinkerton, Reed
- They are larger in size compared to other varieties
- Their shapes vary from round to long, pear-shaped
- They have a thick, slightly pebbled green skin
- They have a milder taste due to low fat content except Puebla which has a smooth, buttery taste
- They take longer to mature than other varieties
- They are used as rootstocks
Even though the month of March marks the start of avocado season in Kenya, the Fuerte variety is usually ready for picking as early as February. Delicious Kenyan avocados are sold in both the international and local markets until October. Sometimes, the Horticultural Crops Directorate (HCD) allows export of only off-season mature avocados in January and February.
The Economics of Avocado Farming in Kenya
A single avocado tree in Kenya can yield between 70 and 100 trees after three years. But a tree fully matures after five to seven years. A well maintained avocado tree can produce a harvest of 700-1000 fruits. The standard planting in Kenya is 150 trees per acre.
Avocado farmers in Kenya are reaping big as farm gate prices have been on the rise in recent years. Prices range depending on the type, grade and size. The average farm gate price for Hass avocado is between KSH15 and KSH20 per piece while for Fuerte avocado is between KSH10 and KSH15 per piece.
Hass is the most profitable avocado variety in Kenya due to strong international demand. A farmer can earn as much as KSH14,000-KSH20,000 from one Hass avocado tree or KSH2,100,000-KSH3,000,000 per acre. Clearly, this is higher than KSH10,500-15,000 from one Fuerte avocado tree or KSH1,575,000-KSH2,250,000 per acre.
Production Volume of Avocados in Kenya
In the past half a decade, avocado production in Kenya has expanded rapidly. According to a report by HCD, the country produced about 500,000 tons of avocado in 2020. HCD, which is under the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), also reports that it is more than double the volume produced in 2016. The number of avocados produced in Kenya in 2024 is expected to go up when official data is released.
In recent years, Kenya has invested in significant area expansion for avocados. Since 2018, new orchards in non-traditional areas have come into production. The area under avocado cultivation has increased from around 14,000 hectares in 2016 to about 26,000 hectares in 2020 according to HCD.
Kenya’s Avocado Market Report 2023
Kenya is the top avocado exporting country in Africa. It is also among the top 10 avocado exporters in the world. Aside from that, more countries are taking in avocados from Kenya.
Here are biggest importers of Kenya avocados in 2023 with their import volume.
Over the past decade, avocado exports from Kenya have enjoyed steady growth. In 2023, Kenya shipped out just above 122,000 tonnes of avocado. It is an increase of 18% from the previous year.
Here is the export volume of avocados from Kenya between 2013 and 2023.
Exports of avocado from Kenya were valued at just above 140 million US Dollars in 2023. Compared to the previous year, it is an increase of 9%. The sharpest climb was from 2017 to 2018 when the export value rose from about 78 million US Dollars to around 118 million US Dollars.
Here are the total values in export of avocados from Kenya between 2013 and 2023.
Exporting Avocados from Kenya
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.