Finland is setting the trend in importing of avocados in Northern Europe. This is the result of the fact that it is a highly urbanized country. Around 85% of the population lives in towns and cities with a majority of them living around the capital, Helsinki.
In Finland, consumer awareness about the avocado has skyrocketed. The fruit is now known for being an affordable and necessary part of a healthy diet. Avocado consumption in the northern European nation is growing because of a rapidly changing food culture.
Finland Avocado Imports
Imported avocados are available in Finland for most part of the year because avocado production in the country is non-existent. In 2023, Finland shipped in nearly 6,000 tonnes of avocado. It is a slight decrease of 9% from the previous year.
Over the past decade, avocado imports in Finland have been rising steadily. The highest jump in volume was recorded from 2020 to 2021 at 124%. The peak volume was in the year 2017 at 8,325 tonnes.
Here is the import volume of avocados in Finland between 2012 and 2023.
Importing Avocados in Finland
Here is a step by step guide on how to import avocados in Finland:
Avocado Supplying Countries to Finland
The avocado import market in Finland has been recently dominated by Peru. Kenya is among the top 10 suppliers. It has gained in market share from exporting avocados worth 55,000 US Dollars to reach just above 2 million US Dollars. The Finnish avocado market is made up of a diversity of sources.
The other key avocado supplying countries to Finland are:
- The Netherlands
- Spain
- Israel
- Brazil
- South Africa
It also imports avocado in small volumes from countries like:
- Mexico
- Belgium
- Chile
Finland brings avocado from abroad through its main airport. Avocados get into the country as air freight by way of the Helsinki 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 Finland is through its main commercial sea port. Avocados get into the country as sea freight by way of the Port of Helsinki. The sea port has a modern container terminal.
How to Know Reliable Avocado Suppliers in Finland
Avocado importers in Finland 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 Finland:
- 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 Finland
| COUNTRY | AIR FREIGHT | SEA FREIGHT |
| Kenya | 9 hours | 35 days |
| Peru | 15 hours | |
| South Africa | 12 hours 25 minutes | 36 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.