Avocado oil is becoming popular these days because of its high nutrition content. It is produced by pressing the pulp of the avocado fruit. It is not only good in the kitchen but also for skin and hair. Avocado oil has a moisturizing and calming effect on the skin and protects it against UV radiation from the sun.
The global avocado oil market size is expanding at a high rate. The market stood at US533.53 million dollars in 2020 and jumped to US553.27 million dollars in 2021. The growing awareness of the health benefits of avocado oil is expected to boost the market growth in the coming years.
Sunvado Ethiopia
The first avocado oil processing factory in Ethiopia was set up by Tradin Organic which is based in the Netherlands and their Ethiopian partner is Kaleb Service Farmers House PLC. Sunvado Organic Avocado Oil is located at the Yirgalem Integrated Agro-Industrial Park in Sidama Zone, south of Ethiopia. It produced its first batches of organic avocado oil in mid-2019.
They source organic avocados from more than 30,000 smallholder farmers in southern Ethiopia. Their products are organic extra virgin and refined avocado oil.
YBM Avocado Oil
Ethiopia’s second avocado oil processing facility was set up by an Ethiopian entrepreneur family. YBM Avocado Oil is also located at the Yirgalem Integrated Agro-Industrial Park. It began operations in late 2021 with a processing capacity of five tons per hour.
They source organic avocados from their own two farms, 21 farmers cooperatives and from more than 40,000 smallholder farmers. They use cold pressed method to extract oil from avocados. Their products are organic crude and extra virgin avocado oil.
Aevo Ethiopia
Aevo Oil Ethiopia is located at Jimma Industrial Park in Jimma Zone, Oromia Region. Their products are organic crude, extra virgin and refined avocado oil from organic avocados grown in south west of Ethiopia.
Green Gold Avocado
Green Gold Avocado is an avocado oil processing company located at Worabe in Silte Zone, south of Ethiopia. They source organic avocados from more than 10,000 smallholder farmers in different regions. Their products include body lotion and lipstick with avocado oil, organic extra virgin and blended (butter, lemon or garlic) avocado oil.
Avocado Oil Price in Ethiopia
According to the Ethiopian Food, Beverage and Pharmaceutical Industry Development Institute (EFBPIDI), Ethiopia earned about US1.7 million dollars from the export of unprocessed avocado oil in 2020. There was only one exporter then, Sunvado Manufacturing PLC.
Some retailers in Ethiopia sell a 750ml bottle of avocado oil at 550 Ethiopian birr while a 350ml bottle is 315 Ethiopian birr. Currently, there is one distributor in the U.S. of organic avocado oil that is processed from avocados only grown in Ethiopia. They sell a 473ml bottle in the American market at US20 dollars (about 1,000 Ethiopian birr)
Avocado Oil in Ethiopia
Most of the small scale avocado farmers in Ethiopia don’t have access to the export market. This is because they lack Global G.A.P. certification. Some of them sell their produce in the local market at very low prices and others don’t even harvest their fruits and leave them to rot.
But the increasing number of avocado oil processing facilities in Ethiopia gives them a chance to tap into the lucrative market abroad. Growers can now turn their abundant harvest into avocado oil which is more transport-friendly and highly sought-after in Europe, the Middle East and the U.S.
Smallholder farmers who have been growing for the domestic market are now being trained to grow for export. Avocado oil processing is the best investment for the avocado value chain in Ethiopia as it benefits farmers and exporters.