The Kenyan avocado season, which lasts from March to July, kicked off recently and, according to David Mulwa of Kandia Fresh Produce Suppliers, while there have been some issues due to the excessive rains, the production is fairly good, and over the last few weeks, there has been a big push in demand. A result of consumers becoming more familiar with the fruit. “Also, the quality of the Hass looks better, but the fruits are fairly small, largely because of the increased demand from the market, which is leading growers to harvest very fast.”
As regards the main destinations for Kenyan avocados, Mulwa explains that Europe remains the largest importer, namely the Netherlands and France. “South Africa is expected to export smaller volumes this year, so some are switching to Kenyan exporters.” Whether there will be supply shortages or not, he states that it will depend on how the season pans out, and for that, we’ll have to wait for Peru and South Africa to enter the market.
Mulwa believes that what matters most in this sector is to be able to offer a quality product. “At the end of the day, that is what will sell, so we make great efforts to get the quality right. We also need to improve the marketing to create the perception that Kenyan food is not of a lesser quality compared to other origins. We see companies becoming more interested in programs than in spot purchases and I think that’s also going to help in improving the quality, because when growers have a consistent market, they will work harder.”
