Iceland has become a target for avocado exporters. This has been brought about by a high urbanization rate in the country. Around 94% of the population lives in towns and cities with a big part of them living in the capital, Reykjavik.
The upsurge in the number of avocados imported by Iceland has been driven mainly by the tourism sector. The island nation is a popular tourist destination and this has influenced food traditions of the citizens. Iceland is expected to import more avocados in the years to come amid rising demand of the fruit.
Iceland Avocado Imports
Seeing as there is no avocado production in Iceland, imported avocados are available in the domestic market for most part of the year. In 2023, Iceland shipped in just above 1,000 tonnes of avocado. It is an increase of 28 tonnes from the previous year.
Over the past decade, avocado imports in Iceland have grown steadily. The highest jump in volume was recorded from 2013 to 2014 at 32%. The peak volume was in the year 2021 at 1,452 tons.
Here is the import volume of avocados in Iceland between 2012 and 2023.
Importing Avocados in Iceland
Here is a step by step guide on how to import avocados in Iceland:
Avocado Supplying Countries to Iceland
The avocado import market in Iceland has been dominated by Chile. Kenya is among the top five suppliers. It has gained in market share from exporting avocados worth 16,000 US Dollars to reach about 520,000 US Dollars. The Icelandic avocado market is made up of a diversity of sources.
The other key avocado exporting countries to Iceland are:
- Colombia
- Peru
- Mexico
- Spain
- South Africa
It also imports avocado in small volumes from countries like:
- Israel
- The United State (US)
- The Netherlands
Iceland brings avocado from abroad through its main airport. Avocados get into the country as air freight by way of the Keflavik International 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 Iceland is through its main commercial sea port. Avocados get into the country as sea freight by way of the Port of Reykjavik. The sea port has a modern container terminal.
How to Know Reliable Avocado Suppliers in Iceland
Avocado importers in Iceland 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 Iceland:
- 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 Iceland
| COUNTRY | AIR FREIGHT | SEA FREIGHT |
| Kenya | 11 hours 20 minutes | 32 days |
| Chile | 15 hours | 35 days |
| Peru | 12 hours 30 minutes |
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.