Ireland has emerged as one of Europe’s success stories in importing avocados. This is in view of the fact that the country is very urbanized. The number of citizens living in towns and cities is above 60% and majority of them are concentrated around the capital, Dublin.
A culture of eating avocados has developed in Ireland over the past few years. Consumer base for the fruit is expanding quickly due to higher incomes among consumers. The rising popularity of superfoods like avocado is also promoting market growth in the island nation of Ireland.
Ireland Avocado Imports
Imported avocados are found in Ireland for most part of the year because avocado production in the country is non-existent. In 2023, Ireland shipped in about 9,000 tonnes of avocado. It is a slight increase of 4% from the previous year.
Over the past decade, avocado imports in Ireland have enjoyed a steady growth. The highest jump in volume was recorded from 2014 to 2015 at 63%. The peak volume was in the year 2023 at 8,947 tonnes.
Here is the import volume of avocados in Ireland between 2012 and 2023.
Importing Avocados in Ireland
Here is a step by step guide on how to import avocados in Ireland:
Avocado Supplying Countries to Ireland
Avocados that are re-exported from the Netherlands dominate the import market in Ireland. Kenya is among the top 10 suppliers. It has gained in market share from exporting avocados worth 35,000 US Dollars to reach about 1.5 million US Dollars. The Irish avocado market is made up of a diversity of sources.
The other key avocado exporting countries to Ireland are:
- Germany
- The United Kingdom (UK)
- Peru
- Spain
- South Africa
It also imports avocado in small volumes from countries like:
- Chile
- Mexico
- Colombia
Ireland brings avocado from abroad through its main airport. Avocados get into the country as air freight by way of the Dublin 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 Ireland is through its main commercial sea port. Avocados get into the country as sea freight by way of the Dublin Port. The sea port has a modern container terminal.
How to Know Reliable Avocado Suppliers in Ireland
Avocado importers in Ireland 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 Ireland:
- 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 Ireland
| COUNTRY | AIR FREIGHT | SEA FREIGHT |
| Kenya | 9 hours 30 minutes | 28 days |
| Peru | 12 hours 45 minutes | 33 days |
| South Africa | 12 hours 15 minutes | 32 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.