France is quickly being known for its appetite for avocados, apart from its fashion and language. Thousands of urban dwellers in the country are behind this growing culture. Around 80% of France’s population live in cities and towns with a majority of them living in and around the capital, Paris.
Avocado sales in France are on an upward trend. One of the reasons is that the country acts as a gateway for the fruit between the northern and southern regions of Europe. The other reason is that consumers in France are also more health conscious than before.
France Avocado Imports
Seeing as there is no avocado production in France, imported avocados are available in the domestic market for most part of the year. In 2023, France shipped in about 190,000 tonnes of avocado. It is a decrease of 6% from the previous year.
Over the past decade, avocado imports in France have enjoyed year on year growth. The highest jump in volume was recorded from 2013 to 2014 at 19%. The peak volume was in the year 2022 at 200,726 tonnes.
Here is the import volume of avocados in France between 2012 and 2023.
Importing Avocados in France
Here is a step by step guide on how to import avocados in France:
Avocado Supplying Countries to France
Avocados from Spain dominate the import market in France. Kenya is among the top five suppliers. It has gained in market share from exporting avocados worth 12 million US Dollars to reach about 25 million US Dollars. The French avocado market is made up of a diversity of sources.
The other key avocado exporting countries to France are:
- Peru
- Israel
- Mexico
- South Africa
- Morocco
It also imports avocado in small volumes from countries like:
- Colombia
- The Netherlands
- Germany
France brings avocado from abroad through its main airport. Avocados get into the country as air freight by way of the Charles de Gaulle 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 France is through its main commercial sea port. Avocados get into the country as sea freight by way of the Port of Marseille. The sea port has a modern container terminal.
How to Know Reliable Avocado Suppliers in France
Avocado importers in France 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 France:
- 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 France
| COUNTRY | AIR FREIGHT | SEA FREIGHT |
| Kenya | 8 hours 30 minutes | 22 days |
| Peru | 13 hours 15 minutes | 33 days |
| South Africa | 11 hours 20 minutes | 28 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.