Known fondly as ‘butter fruit’ in certain parts of the world, the avocado now has an international appeal. Besides this, avocados have quickly emerged as a tasty symbol of health in Bulgaria. High urbanization rate in the eastern European nation has pushed up demand for avocados. Around 76% of the population lives in towns and cities with a big part of it concentrated around the capital, Sofia.
Avocados have made their way to menus in hotels and restaurants in Bulgaria. What’s more, avocado themed dishes are gaining momentum among consumers in the country. On the other hand, households are interested in finding ways to include the fruit in their traditional foods. Clearly, Bulgaria is willing to take in more avocado especially straight from avocado producing countries.
Bulgaria Avocado Imports
For the reason that there is no avocado production in Bulgaria, avocado imports flood the domestic market for most part of the year. In 2023, Bulgaria shipped in around 4,500 tonnes of avocado. It is an increase of 28% from the previous year.
Over the past decade, avocado imports in Bulgaria have enjoyed year on year growth. The highest jump in volume was recorded from 2015 to 2016 at 48%. The peak volume was in the year 2023 at 4578 tonnes.
Here is the import volume of avocados in Bulgaria between 2012 and 2023.
Importing Avocados in Bulgaria
Here is a step by step guide on how to import avocados in Bulgaria:
Avocado Supplying Countries to Bulgaria
Avocados that are re-exported from the Netherlands dominate the import market in Bulgaria. Kenya is the top avocado exporting country in Africa. It has the potential to increase its market share because Bulgaria imported 24 tons of Kenyan avocados worth about 22,000 US Dollars in the year 2020. The Bulgarian avocado market is made up of a diversity of sources.
The other key avocado exporting countries to Bulgaria are:
- Greece
- Spain
- The Czech Republic
- Turkey
- Belgium
It also imports avocado in small volumes from countries like:
- Germany
- Italy
- Slovakia
Bulgaria brings avocado from abroad through its main airport. Avocados get into the country as air freight by way of the Sofia 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 Bulgaria is through its main commercial sea port. Avocados get into the country as sea freight by way of the Port of Varna. The sea port can accommodate large cargo ships and has stations for refrigerated containers.
How to Know Reliable Avocado Suppliers in Bulgaria
Avocado importers in Bulgaria 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 Avocado from Kenya
Kenyan avocados can be shipped directly to Bulgaria. Trade relations between the two countries make it possible for Bulgarian consumers to enjoy them. Moreover, transshipment likely leads to delays during offloading and loading at the intermediate port.
Here are some advantages Kenya has in supplying avocados to Bulgaria:
- 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 Bulgaria
| COUNTRY | AIR FREIGHT | SEA FREIGHT |
| Kenya | 6 hours 50 minutes | 20 days |
| Peru | 15 hours 10 minutes | 38 days |
| Colombia | 13 hours 20 minutes | 34 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.