Peeling avocados huge potential in the market

The National Horticultural Policy shows how agro-processing and packaging technologies are relatively undeveloped.

As Kenya ramps up avocado production, adoption of modern technology can boost production of the crop that is fast becoming a key foreign exchange earner.

The National Horticultural Policy cites poor uptake of modern methods of farming as one of the key challenges that hampers horticultural farmers from realising full potential.

For example, the policy shows how agro-processing and packaging technologies are relatively undeveloped in Kenya.

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In particular, the policy calls for more investments in packaging technology since this is critical during transportation. Avocados, just like other horticultural products are highly perishable and need the right type of packaging for safe transportation to the market.

Increase shelf life

“Deliberate efforts need to be made towards investing in this area to increase produce shelf life, reduce post-harvest losses, and improve consumer acceptance in the domestic and international markets,” states the policy.

In Kenya, exporting fresh produce through sea freight has significant lower costs compared to air freight.

In addition, the policy notes that farmers of produce such as avocados have to contend with poor quality farm inputs such as seeds and fertiliser.

Furthermore, many dealers in farm inputs are not trained to offer quality instructions in crop husbandry.

“The poor quality of inputs attributed to counterfeiting and adulteration and their high cost are a hindrance to faster development of the sub-sector. Despite the positive impact on the environment and health, little has been done to promote technologies such as organic farming that foster use of farm-based inputs,” states the policy.

Research

And although the country has a myriad institutions carrying out research in horticulture, financial and human resource constraints as well as poor coordination in these organisations have held back breeding programmes.

This has left propagation of such important crops to outgrowers who have little knowledge on modern technological inputs.

“There are many smallholder commercial fruit tree nurseries spread all over the country but the majority do not meet required standards,” states the policy.

Fruit flies

Harnessing technology would also fight off other challenges such as fruit fly infestation that has led to loss of close to 30 per cent of avocados.

To address the problem, the government hopes to increase funding to research bodies and encourage breeders to collaborate with local and international research organisations.

Avocado is one of key fruits grown in Kenya in terms of enterprise value per unit area, others being pineapples, oranges, bananas and mangoes.

In recent years, the fruit has emerged as one of the best foreign exchange earners, fighting for space with other key agricultural products such as coffee, tea and cut flowers.

A 2019 research sponsored by the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows avocado accounts for 17 percent of total horticultural exports from Kenya and more than 50 per cent of the export value of the fruit subsector.

Kenya has also been identified as one of the fastest-growing avocado producers in the world, currently ranking third globally. However, it only exports 10 per cent of the total avocado produce.

According to worldstopexports.com, Kenya came eighth in the avocado export sector in 2019, generating about Sh14 billion.

Minor crop?

This is a sharp rise in earnings compared to the Sh2.3 billion accrued from the export of avocados mainly in the EU market in 2014.

Avocado Society of Kenya CEO Ernest Muthomi says the government can extend its assistance to local farmers by putting in place policies that will open up more export markets.

“The avocado was just another minor crop until it started to generate much cash in recent times. We appreciate that trade agreements with the US are underway.

“However, the government can help by taking a more proactive approach and formulate trade policies that will make our avocado business more competitive to the rest of the world,” says Muthomi.