Zimbabwe has an eye on the increased appetite for avocados in the Middle East and Far East regions. Avocado exporters in the southern African country are looking to first gain a foothold in markets such as Dubai and Hong Kong. Evidently, they are banking on the rich, creamy taste and excellent quality of Zimbabwean avocados as key selling points.
Since avocado consumption in countries like the United Arab Emirates (UAE), China and Japan is on the rise, Zimbabwe is lining up to get a share of the profits. The Middle Eastern nations are an attractive market mainly because of higher consumer spending power. Similarly, East Asian nations are opening up to imported avocados due to their strong economic position and rapid urbanization.
Avocado UAE
In 2023, the UAE shipped in nearly 39 tonnes of avocado from Zimbabwe. It is a decrease of 58% from the previous year. Zimbabwean avocado supply to the UAE has seen notable gains in just six years from 660kg in the year 2017.
Avocado Price in UAE
Avocados from Zimbabwe are selling well in the UAE. In the last six years, their import value has risen sharply. Zimbabwean avocado exports to the UAE were worth 4,950 US Dollars in 2016 and reached about 276,000 US Dollars in 2023.
The more Zimbabwe ships out avocado to the UAE, the higher it gets from export earnings. The sharpest climb was from 2019 to 2020 when the import value rose from 3,850 US Dollars to 114,550 US Dollars. The peak value was in the year 2020 when it was around 276,000 US Dollars.
The cost of a kilo of Zimbabwean avocados in the UAE can be between 2.50 UAE Dirhams (0.66 US Dollars) and 4 UAE Dirhams (1.07 US Dollars). This is based on the average import price per kg. This wholesale price has gone as high as 31.11 UAE Dirhams (8.47 US Dollars) in the recent past as a result of low supply.
Exporting Avocados from Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is positioning itself to be a major exporter of avocado in the world. Presently, a bulk of its shipments take place between April and August. Fertile valleys found in the Eastern Highlands with their cool, wet climate can produce avocados for a better part of the year. Moreover, Zimbabwe is ramping up avocado production so as to take full advantage of the ever-growing market.
Over the past decade, Zimbabwe has seen meteoric growth in avocado shipments, reaching 5,580 tonnes in the year 2023. For this reason, the country is developing alternative markets for its avocados. In addition, the Development and Promotion Organisation of Zimbabwe (ZimTrade) recently organized its first outward seller mission in Dubai. Consequently, traders from Dubai and Hong Kong expressed interest in shipping in avocados from Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe is expected to see an increase in volume and value of avocado exports in the coming years. Owing to the fact that Dubai is one of the largest re-export hubs. The emirate sits as a strategic gateway between the East and the West.
Here is a top foreign exporter of Zimbabwe avocado.
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 leading exporter of 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.