Avocado consumption in Lebanon is quickly catching up with the rest of the world. This is being driven by an average population growth rate of 1% per year. In addition to that, most of the inhabitants live along the coastal plain where the towns and cities are located.
With an urbanization rate of more than 80%, more consumers in Lebanon are becoming keen with eating healthy. Their strong tradition of eating fruits means they are now adopting a healthy diet that includes avocado for its numerous benefits. The fruit’s versatility and neutral flavor is also contributing to its growing popularity in Lebanon.
Lebanon Avocado Imports
Seeing as avocado production in Lebanon is too low to meet the demand, avocado imports are available in the domestic market for most part of the year. In 2023, Lebanon shipped in nearly 450 tonnes of avocado. Although it is a decrease of 50% from the previous year, it is another record high since 2019.
Over the last 10 years, avocado imports in Lebanon have been on an upward trend. The highest increase in volume was recorded from 2015 to 2016 at 308%. The peak volume was in the year 2022 at 866 tonnes.
Here is the import volume of avocados in Lebanon between 2012 and 2023.
Importing Avocados in Lebanon
Here is a step by step guide on how to import avocados in Lebanon:
Avocado Supplying Countries to Lebanon
The avocado import market in Lebanon has been dominated by South Africa in the recent past. Kenya was the second largest supplier in the year 2017. The Lebanese avocado market is also fed by avocados that are re-exported from other importing countries.
The other key avocado exporting countries to Lebanon are:
- Peru
- Egypt
- Spain
- Colombia
- Mexico
It also imports avocado in small volumes from countries like:
- Morocco
- Chile
- Uganda
Lebanon brings avocado from abroad through its main airport. Avocados get into the country as air freight by way of the Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport. The airport has a cargo facility and cold storage rooms that keep avocados fresh as they were when harvested.
The other way avocados enter Lebanon is through its main commercial sea port. Avocados get into the country as sea freight by way of the Port of Beirut. The sea port has a huge container terminal.
How to Know Reliable Avocado Suppliers in Lebanon
Avocado importers in Lebanon must present the following documents for their shipment to be released by the customs office:
- Import license
- 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 Lebanon:
- 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 consistent avocado production year after year.
Average Transit Time of Importing Avocados in Lebanon
| COUNTRY | AIR FREIGHT | SEA FREIGHT |
| Kenya | 5 hours 20 minutes | |
| South Africa | 9 hours | |
| Peru | 16 hours 30 minutes |
Here is one of the top avocado exporters 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.