Avocado is still getting more buzz than other fruits. The fatty fruit continues to gain in popularity as a wonderful source of nutrition. The other reason why avocados are so popular is that they are super versatile. In addition to functionality, avocados come with their own unique benefits to love.
Why Avocados Thrive in Zimbabwe
Avocado has turned out to be an important cash crop in Zimbabwe. It was first commercially grown in the late 1980s according to the Zimbabwean Horticultural Development Council (HDC). Actually, the first avocado exports were in the 2000s according to statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Zimbabwe’s physical geography and climate make it an ideal place for growing delightful avocados. It experiences a sub-tropical climate in the Eastern parts and it gets hot and humid. These parts of the country experience cooler temperatures and higher rainfall as the altitude increases. The other avocado growing conditions in Zimbabwe are:
- Northern and Eastern areas are at an altitude of 1500m-2100m above sea level.
- Northern and Eastern areas enjoy 1000mm-1600mm of rainfall that is well distributed throughout the year.
- Northern and Eastern areas experience temperatures as low as 15°C and as high as 25°C.
- Northern and Eastern areas have at least 6 hours of sunshine per day.
- Northern and Eastern areas have medium sandy or loam soils with a pH of 5-6.
The biggest avocado producing areas in Zimbabwe are in fertile plains because a large part of the country is a vast plateau. Additionally, avocado trees are quickly being cultivated in places surrounding the Eastern Highlands. Areas under huge avocado cultivation are:
- Chipinge
- Chimanimani
- Harare
- Bindura
- Chegutu
- Manicaland Province
The three major groups of avocado can all be found in Zimbabwe. Although, hybrids of the Mexican, Guatemalan and West Indian races are the most common in the country. There are more than 10 avocado varieties grown in Zimbabwe according to the Zimbabwe Agricultural Research Council (ARC). Some of them include:
- Hass
- Fuerte
- Duke 7
- Edranol
- Pinkerton
A huge number of avocado cultivars in Zimbabwe are local. However, improved cultivars are the ones grown commercially. While Hass and Fuerte are mainly grown for export, the other types are grown for the domestic market. Here are some of the most common avocado varieties in Zimbabwe 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 skin that is easy to peel
- Its skin remains green even when ripe
- It is a medium to large fruit (140g–392g)
- It has a rich, oily, creamy texture
Pinkerton Avocado
- Its a pear-shaped fruit with an elongated neck
- It has a medium thick, slightly pebbled skin that is easy to peel
- Its skin remains green even when ripe
- It is a large fruit (227g-510g)
- It has a smooth, creamy texture with a nutty flavor
The month of April marks the start of avocado season in Zimbabwe. The season winds down in September. But smaller volumes are picked between October and December. This is in keeping with the planting schedule from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development.
The Economics of Avocado Farming in Zimbabwe
An avocado tree fully matures after five to seven years. A well maintained avocado tree can produce a harvest of about 500 fruits. The standard density planting in Zimbabwe is 400 trees per hectare.
Avocado farmers in Zimbabwe are reaping big as farm gate prices have been on the rise in recent years. Prices range depending on the type, size and supply. The average wholesale price for Hass avocado is between 100 Zimbabwean Dollars and 200 Zimbabwean Dollars per kg. Green skin and local varieties fetch lower wholesale prices between 50 Zimbabwean Dollars and 100 Zimbabwean Dollars per kg.
Hass is the most profitable avocado variety in Zimbabwe. Taking into account 200,000 fruits, let us calculate the wholesale price of each Hass fruit at 50 Zimbabwean Dollars. The total expected return from one hectare after five years is 10 million Zimbabwean Dollars.
Production Volume of Avocados in Zimbabwe
In a few years, avocado production in Zimbabwe has expanded rapidly. However, there is no consistent data from the government on the total avocado production in the country. Figures from the Zimbabwe Avocado Growers Association are yet to be released. HDC says avocado is one of the fastest growing sub-sectors in the horticulture sector.
Additionally, there is no consistent data from the government on the total percentage of land area under avocado cultivation. Whereas large scale producers are increasing acreage with avocado, smallholder growers are forming co-operatives so as to do cluster farming. Based on this trend, the number of avocados produced in Zimbabwe is expected to keep going up in the coming years. Newly established avocado plantations that are coming into maturity will also boost production volumes.
Zimbabwe’s Avocado Market Report 2023
Zimbabwe is the fifth largest exporting country in Africa. It is emerging as a main avocado exporter in the world. Aside from that, more countries are opening up to avocados from Zimbabwe.
Here are biggest importers of Zimbabwe avocados in 2023 with their import volume.
Over the past decade, avocado exports from Zimbabwe have enjoyed steady growth. In 2023, Zimbabwe shipped out nearly 6,000 tons of avocado. It is a slight increase of 7% from the previous year.
Here is the export volume of avocados from Zimbabwe between 2012 and 2023.
Exports of avocado from Zimbabwe were valued at nearly 2 million US Dollars in 2023. Compared to the previous year, it is an increase of 10%. The sharpest climb was from 2016 to 2017 when the export value rose from about 839,000 US Dollars to around 1,700,000 US Dollars.
Here are the total values in export of avocados from Zimbabwe between 2014 and 2023
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.