Malaysia is one the fastest growing markets for avocados in the South East Asia region. The population of the country is swelling at a rate of 1.3% per year. While about 70% of the inhabitants live in cities and large towns along the coastal areas.
Due to the huge urbanization rate in Malaysia, more people are adopting a health conscious lifestyle. The avocado is no longer an exotic fruit but a well-known fruit in homes and restaurants around the country. Over the past decade, there has been a surge in avocado consumption in Malaysia. The nation is already investing in its capacity to import more avocado.
Malaysia Avocado Imports
Seeing as avocado production in Malaysia is non-existent, avocado imports flood the domestic market for most of the year. In 2023, Malaysia shipped in just above 5,000 tonnes of avocado. It is an increase of 24% from the previous year.
In the last 10 years, avocado imports in Malaysia have enjoyed growth year after year. The highest jump in volume was recorded from 2015 to 2016 at 93%. The peak volume was in the year 2023 at 5,037 tonnes.
Here is the import volume of avocados in Malaysia between 2012 and 2023.
Importing Avocados in Malaysia
Here is a step by step guide on how to import avocados in Malaysia:
Avocado Supplying Countries to Malaysia
The avocado import market in Malaysia is dominated by Australia. Kenya is among the top four suppliers and was even the second largest supplier in 2017. The Malaysia avocado market is characterized by a diversity of sources.
The other key avocado exporting countries to Malaysia are:
- The United States (US)
- South Africa
- Mexico
- The Philippines
- New Zealand
It also imports avocado in small volumes from countries like:
- Indonesia
- Spain
- The Netherlands
Malaysia brings avocado from abroad through its main airport. Avocados get into the country as air freight by way of the Kuala Lumpur International 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 Malaysia is through its main commercial sea port. Avocados get into the country as sea freight by way of Port Klang The sea port has a huge container terminal.
How to Know Reliable Avocado Suppliers in Malaysia
Avocado importers in Malaysia 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 Malaysia:
- 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 Malaysia
| COUNTRY | AIR FREIGHT | SEA FREIGHT |
| Kenya | 9 hours 30 minutes | 17 days |
| Mexico | 21 hours 10 minutes | |
| South Africa | 11 hours 10 minutes | 28 days |
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.