Russia’s relevance as a market for avocados is growing rapidly. This is in light of the fact that the country is highly urbanized at around 74%. A big part of the Russian population is concentrated in and around the capital, Moscow, other large cities like St Petersburg and numerous smaller towns.
The avocado has become very popular with Russian retailers. Demand for the fruit spikes during the summer months from June to August and in winter from December to February. With an emerging middle class in Russia, not only is avocado consumption huge but it is also expected to rise in the years to come.
Russia Avocado Imports
Imported avocados are available in Russia for most part of the year since there is no avocado production in the country. In 2021, Russia shipped in close to 54,000 tons of avocado. It is an increase of 14% from the previous year.
Over the last decade, avocado imports in Russia have enjoyed year on year growth. The highest jump in volume was recorded from 2016 to 2017 at 56%. The peak volume was in the year 2021 at 53,996 tons.
Here is the import volume of avocados in Russia between 2012 and 2021.
Importing Avocados in Russia
Here is a step by step guide on how to import avocados in Russia:
Avocado Supplying Countries to Russia
The avocado import market in Russia is dominated by Israel. Kenya is among the top four suppliers and was even the second largest supplier in 2017 and 2018. The Russian avocado market is characterized by a diversity of sources.
The other key avocado exporting countries to Russia are:
- Peru
- South Africa
- Chile
- Colombia
- Mexico
It also imports avocado in small volumes from countries like:
- Dominican Republic
- Lebanon
- Belarus
Russia brings avocado from abroad through its main airport. Avocados get into the country as air freight by way of the Sheremetyevo 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 Russia is through its main commercial sea port. Avocados get into the country as sea freight by way of the Port of Novorossiysk. The sea port has a huge container terminal.
How to Know Reliable Avocado Suppliers in Russia
Avocado importers in Russia 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 Russia:
- 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 Russia
| COUNTRY | AIR FREIGHT | SEA FREIGHT |
| Kenya | 8 hours 20 minutes | 36 days |
| Peru | 16 hours 15 minutes | 40 days |
| South Africa | 11 hours 50 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.