State halts harvesting immature avocados to secure export market
By Nicholas Waitathu, October 23, 2024
Agriculture and Food Authority –Horticultural Crops Directorate (AFA-HCD) has halted the export of avocado varieties to prevent the harvesting of immature fruits and thus ensure the international market share Kenya enjoys is protected.
Bruno Linyiru, AFA Director General said in a notice to all avocado and mango exporters issued yesterday that the value chain players will stop harvesting the popular avocado varieties Hass, Pinkerton, Fuerte and Jumbo for sea shipment for the 2024/2025 fiscal year on Friday, October 25, 2024. The decision he said was arrived at to help curb the sale of unripe fruits and ensure the protection of Kenya’s share in the international markets.
At the same time, Linyiru confirmed that following the closure of the avocado harvesting season and export by sea, some exporters have resulted to mixing consignments of mango with avocado for sea shipment contrary to the Crops (Horticultural crops) regulations, 2020 Section 20(5).
“All produce for export are required to undergo inspection by the directorate before an export certificate is issued, as provided in the Crops (Horticultural crops) regulations, 2020 section 29 (1&2),” he emphasised.
Countrywide survey
Linyiru said AFA-HCD has been monitoring harvesting trends and recently undertook a countrywide survey in the major avocado production zones to determine current production trends and forecast future production for the main season next year. “The findings of the survey indicate there is currently insufficient volumes of main season crop to warrant sea shipment,” he said.
The director added that export clearance shall be granted subject to inspection by the directorate with traceability information required for all consignments.
“The notice applies to all exporters, importers and processors of avocado fruit. The Directorate shall continue to closely monitor avocado maturity trends and patterns and review the notice in the first week of December 2024 and guide appropriately,” he added.