Lithuania is on the fast track to becoming a topmost avocado importing country in northeastern Europe. This is in view of the fact that the country is highly urbanized. Around 70% of the population live in towns and cities and a huge number of them are located in the capital, Vilnius.
An uptick in avocado consumption in Lithuania has led the nation to import more avocados over the past decade. Lithuanians’ interest in avocado is growing constantly because of the cosmopolitan nature of its urban dwellers. On top of that, higher volumes are expected in the years to come as Lithuania continues to invest in its capacity to import the fruit.
Lithuania Avocado Imports
Avocado imports are available in the domestic market for most of the year as there is no avocado production in Lithuania. In 2021, Lithuania shipped in about 6,200 tons of avocado. It is a slight increase of 3% from the previous year.
Basically, in the last 10 years, avocado imports in Lithuania have enjoyed steady growth. The biggest jump in volume was recorded from 2017 to 2018 at 40%. The peak volume was in the year 2013 at 6,503 tons.
Here is the import volume of avocados in Lithuania between 2012 and 2021.
Importing Avocados in Lithuania
Here is a step by step guide on how to import avocados in Lithuania:
Avocado Supplying Countries to Lithuania
Avocados that are re-exported from the Netherlands dominate the import market in Lithuania. Since the year 2017, Kenya has gained in market share to become the only avocado producing country to export to Lithuania. The Lithuanian avocado market is characterized by a diversity of sources.
The other key avocado supplying countries to Lithuania are:
- Latvia
- Spain
- Germany
- Belgium
- Poland
It also imports avocado in small volumes from countries like:
- The United Kingdom (UK)
- France
- Italy
Lithuania brings avocado from abroad through its main airport. Avocados get into the country as air freight by way of the Vilnius Airport. The airport has a cargo terminal and cold storage rooms that keep avocados fresh as they were when harvested.
The other way avocados enter Lithuania is through its main commercial sea port. Avocados get into the country as sea freight by way of the Port of Klaipeda. The sea port has a huge container terminal.
How to Know Reliable Avocado Suppliers in Lithuania
Avocado importers in Lithuania 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 Lithuania:
- 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 Lithuania
| COUNTRY | AIR FREIGHT | SEA FREIGHT |
| Kenya | 8 hours 20 minutes | |
| The Netherlands | 2 hours 15 minutes | |
| Spain | 3 hours 20 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.