South Korea is gaining on the other East Asian countries as an importer of avocados. Rapid urban growth in the country has given rise to more requests for the fruit. Around 80% of the inhabitants live in cities and towns with most of them living around the capital, Seoul.
Avocado consumption in Korea is trending upward. Exposure to the global culture of eating avocados is expanding. Korea being one of Asia’s wealthiest nations has seen the incomes of many consumers rise. They are now driving demand for avocado as part of their diversified diet.
Korea Avocado Imports
Considering that avocado production in Korea is non-existent, imported avocados flood the domestic market for most part of the year. In 2023, Korea shipped in almost 13,000 tonnes of avocado. It is a decrease of 6% from the previous year.
Over the past decade, avocado imports in Korea have enjoyed year on year growth. The highest jump in volume was recorded from 2016 to 2017 at 105%. The peak volume was in the year 2021 at 17,313 tons.
Here is the import volume of avocados in Korea between 2012 and 2023.
Importing Avocados in Korea
Here is a step by step guide on how to import avocados in Korea:
Avocado Supplying Countries to Korea
The avocado import market in Korea is dominated by Mexico. Kenya is the top avocado exporting country in Africa. In 2021, a Kenyan delegation visited Korea and both nations agreed on phytosanitary protocols that Kenyan avocados have to meet to be exported to Korea. The Korean avocado market is made up of a few of sources.
The other key avocado supplying countries to Korea are:
- The United States (US)
- Peru
- New Zealand
- Chile
- Colombia
Korea brings avocado from abroad through its main airport. Avocados get into the country as air freight by way of the Incheon International Airport. The airport has a cargo terminal and cold storage rooms to keep avocados fresh as they were when harvested.
The other way avocados enter Korea is through its main commercial sea port. Avocados get into the country as sea freight by way of the Port of Busan. The sea port has a modern container terminal.
How to Know Reliable Avocado Suppliers in Korea
Avocado importers in Korea 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 Avocado from Kenya
Here are some advantages Kenya has in supplying avocados to Korea:
- 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 Korea
| COUNTRY | AIR FREIGHT | SEA FREIGHT |
| Kenya | 13 hours 10 minutes | 31 days |
| Mexico | 15 hours 30 minutes | 76 days |
| US | 13 hours 35 minutes | 60 days |
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.