Egypt is one of the fastest growing markets for avocado in North Africa. Avocado is high on the list of favorite foods among the urban population that is expanding rapidly. Not only do these consumers have a higher purchasing power but they are also more conscious about their health.
There is a high appetite for avocado in Egypt because it is a ready-to-eat food which is full of nutrients. Its versatility also makes it a more popular choice than other fruits. The strong demand and willingness by consumers to pay a premium price has turned Egypt into a major avocado importing country.
Egypt Avocado Imports
Seeing that avocado production in Egypt is too low to meet the demand, avocado imports flood the domestic market almost the entire year. In 2021, Egypt shipped in just above 2,500 tons of avocado. It is an increase of 65% from the previous year.
Here is the import volume of avocados in Egypt between 2012 and 2021.
Importing Avocados in Egypt
Here is a step by step guide on how to import avocados in Egypt:
Avocado Supplying Countries to Egypt
Over the last 10 years, avocado imports in Egypt have enjoyed steady growth. The sharpest climb in volume was recorded from 2014 to 2015 at over 500%. The peak volume was in the year 2013 at 2,914 tons.
The avocado import market in Egypt is dominated by Kenya. In 2020, it was the largest supplier of avocados to Egypt accounting for about 70% of the total imports. Imports from Kenya have been growing faster than any other country.
Egypt sources most of its avocados also from:
- Lebanon
- The Netherlands
- Uganda
- The United States (U.S)
- South Africa
It also imports avocado in small quantities from countries like:
- Spain
- Greece
- The United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Egypt brings avocado from abroad mainly through one airport. Avocados get into the country as air freight by way of the Cairo International Airport. The airport has cold storage rooms and a dedicated perishable terminal.
The other way avocados enter Egypt is through its sea ports. Seeing that avocados can only be transported in refrigerated containers, the port of Alexandria is currently the only one that can handle such containers. However, the country’s five commercial sea ports offer the potential for avocados to come in as sea freight. After landing in Egypt, avocados are then transported by road to the market.
How to Know Reliable Avocado Suppliers in Egypt
Avocado importers in Egypt must present the following documents for their shipment to be released by the customs office:
- Import permit
- Certificate of origin
- Health and phytosanitary certificate
- Commercial invoice
- Packing list
Sourcing Avocados from Kenya
Here are some advantages Kenya has in supplying avocados to Egypt:
- 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 consistent avocado production year after year.
Average Transit Time of Importing Avocados in Egypt
| COUNTRY | AIR FREIGHT | SEA FREIGHT |
| Kenya | 5 hours | 13 days |
| South Africa | 8 hours 15 minutes | |
| US | 14 hours |
Here is one of the top avocado exporters 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.