Italy is quickly catching up to the rest of Europe as a huge importer of avocados. The main factor behind it is a high urbanization rate in the country. Around 70% of the population lives in towns and cities with a greater number of them living in and around the capital, Rome.
The avocado is fast gaining a reputation in Italy as a more nutritious choice than other fruits. Since the nation is renowned as a tourist hotspot, demand for the fruit keeps going up. These are the other reasons why avocado consumption in Italy is expected to rise in the years to come.
Italy Avocado Imports
Seeing that avocado production in Italy is too low to meet the demand, imported avocados are found in the domestic market for most part of the year. In 2023, Italy shipped in about 50,000 tonnes of avocado. It is an increase of 17% from the previous year.
Over the last 10 years, avocado imports in Italy have enjoyed year on year growth. The highest jump in volume was recorded from 2013 to 2014 at 49%. The peak volume was in the year 2023 at 49,899 tons.
Here is the import volume of avocados in Italy between 2012 and 2023.
Importing Avocados in Italy
Here is a step by step guide on how to import avocados in Italy:
Avocado Supplying Countries to Italy
Avocados that are re-exported from the Netherlands dominate the import market in Italy. Since the year 2017, Kenya has gained in market share. From exporting avocados worth 4,000 US Dollars to reach about 550,000 US Dollars. The Italian avocado market is made up of a diversity of sources.
The other key avocado supplying countries to Italy are:
- France
- Spain
- Germany
- The United Kingdom (UK)
- Peru
It also imports avocado in small volumes from countries like:
- Israel
- Mexico
- Colombia
Italy brings avocado from abroad through its main airport. Avocados get into the country as air freight by way of the Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino 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 Italy is through its main commercial sea port. Avocados get into the country as sea freight by way of the Port of Gioia Tauro. The sea port has a modern container terminal.
How to Know Reliable Avocado Suppliers in Italy
Avocado importers in Italy 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 Italy:
- 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 Italy
| COUNTRY | AIR FREIGHT | SEA FREIGHT |
| Kenya | 7 hours 10 minutes | 21 days |
| Peru | 14 hours | 31 days |
| Mexico | 13 hours 15 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.