Namibia is one of the top importers of avocados in Southern Africa. Especially in the last 10 years, the country has been demanding more avocados for local consumption. The avocado is clearly gaining more importance in the Namibian diet.
Avocados are quickly becoming marketable in Namibia. The biggest reason for this is the growing awareness among Namibians of their numerous health benefits that exceed other fruits. The fact that they can be eaten in multiple ways has also resulted in a strong consumer demand in Namibia. The Namibian market is showing signs that it can absorb higher volumes of avocado in years to come.
Namibia Avocado Imports
Seeing that avocado production in Namibia is currently non-existent, avocado imports are found in the domestic market for most part of the year. In 2023, Namibia shipped in nearly 800 tonnes of avocado. Although it is a slight decrease from the previous year, it is another record high since 2018.
Here is the import volume of avocados in Namibia between 2011 and 2023.
Importing Avocados in Namibia
Here is a step by step guide on how to import avocados in Namibia:
Avocado Supplying Countries to Namibia
Over the past decade, avocado imports in Namibia have enjoyed a steady growth. The highest jump in volume was recorded from 2018 to 2019 at 43%. The peak volume was in the year 2022 at 889 tonnes.
The avocado import market in Namibia is dominated by South Africa. In 2023, avocados from South Africa accounted for about 99% of the total imports. The other key avocado exporter to Namibia is Botswana.
Besides that, Kenya was the second largest supplier of avocados to Namibia in 2018. It is for this reason that avocados from Kenya have the potential to make up more of the total imports. Namibia also imports avocado in small quantities from countries like:
- Zambia
- Tanzania
- Angola
Namibia brings in a bulk of avocado through its border with South Africa. Avocados get into the country as road freight by way of its largest border crossing point. The Vioolsdrift border control is located on the border between Namibia (Noordoewer) and South Africa (Vioolsdrift). Considering avocados from Botswana are consistently part of the total imports, they come in through the Buitepos/Mamuno border post.
The other way avocados enter Namibia is through its main airport. Avocados come in as air freight by way of the Hosea Kutako International Airport. The airport has cold storage rooms suitable for keeping avocados fresh before the reach the market.
How to Know Reliable Avocado Suppliers in Namibia
Avocado importers in Namibia must present the following documents for their shipment to be released by the customs office:
- NAB import permit
- NAB import permit receipt issued at point of entry
- Supplier invoice
- Certificate of origin
- Health and phytosanitary certificate
- Packing list
Sourcing Avocados from Kenya
Here are some advantages Kenya has in supplying avocados to Namibia:
- 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 Namibia
| COUNTRY | AIR FREIGHT | SEA FREIGHT |
| Kenya | 4 hours 30 minutes | |
| South Africa | 2 hours | |
| Tanzania | 4 hours 10 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.