Food trends are constantly changing but thanks to the health benefits of avocado, the fruit has been in the spotlight for quite some time now. Its fame is partly due to its deliciously creamy, nutty taste and partly due to social media flooded with pictures of Millennials enjoying it.
There are numerous nutrients packed into each and every avocado. Spread it on bread, slice it on top of salad or fruit pudding or blend it into a smoothie, the possibilities are endless. Under that hard green skin or soft purplish-black skin, avocados are also full of vitamins and nutrients our bodies need to function properly.
Ethiopia Avocado Export Price
According to figures from UN Comtrade, Ethiopia earned just above 1 million US Dollars (about 52 million Ethiopian birr) from avocado exports in 2021. This is the highest recorded value in the country’s history. It is an increase of 11% from the previous year.
Here are the total values in export for avocados from Ethiopia between 2012 and 2021.
The price of avocado in Ethiopia has been climbing sharply over the past 10 years. In 2010, the farm gate price was 1.6 Ethiopian birr per kg of avocados. Consumers in Addis Ababa bought a kilo of avocados at about 6 Ethiopian birr.
Avocados became more expensive from 2014 when Ethiopia started increasing its export volume. A group of avocado farmers in Ethiopia sold a kilo of Hass avocados in the export market at US3.6 dollars (185 Ethiopian birr.) Avocado export price rose in 2016 where a kilo of avocados was US5.7 dollars (about 300 Ethiopian birr.)
Avocado price in Ethiopia went up again in 2020. The average price of a kilo of avocados was around 40 Ethiopian birr in markets in Addis Ababa. The cost of Ethiopian avocados in export markets jumped from 300 to about 400 Ethiopian birr (US 7.8 dollars.) The rise in avocado prices was caused by the high international demand for Ethiopian avocado combined with lower supply from other avocado exporting countries.
Apart from high demand, rising costs of avocado in Ethiopia are based on buying outside of the growing season. The price of a kilo of avocados currently ranges between 50 and 80 Ethiopian birr from some of the retailers in Addis Ababa. From January to July, avocados in Ethiopia are out of season therefore there are fewer avocados and they cost more.
Factors Influencing Avocado Price in Ethiopia
The export potential of Ethiopian avocados is huge. Here are some of the factors affecting price of avocado in Ethiopia:
- There is now a reliable logistics link in the form of the fully operational Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway line and the sea freight connection to markets in Europe and the Middle East. This makes their prices competitive.
- Favorable climatic conditions for avocado growing in Ethiopia can produce big harvests and lead to a regular supply of avocados. This means there won’t be drastic changes in avocado prices.
- Low production costs make Ethiopian avocados cheaper compared to avocados from its competitors in Peru and Chile.
- Avocado price in Ethiopia is profitable when avocado exporters in Ethiopia take advantage of the seasonal gap in European markets. In September when Peruvian supply runs out, Ethiopia still has avocados available.
- The ready market for avocados is not only expanding at a fast rate internationally but also locally. The fact that the fruit can be used in various ways has made it very popular among the larger population in Ethiopia. It is for this reason that avocado prices have been climbing and they are not coming down soon.