The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO) has launched an ambitious project aimed at expanding avocado production to tap into the lucrative European market. This initiative revolves around the multiplication of avocado seedlings, which will be made available at KALRO centers situated across the country to encourage an increase in avocado cultivation.
Kenya, with its sights set on becoming one of the world’s leading avocado exporters, is aggressively seeking to penetrate new markets beyond Europe. KALRO Seeds Director, Robert Musyoki, revealed that the seedling propagation is already underway at the Kibos center in Kisumu, with a goal of producing 320,000 seedlings annually.
Through farmer field days, KALRO is actively engaging with farmers in regions such as Kisumu and western Kenya, known for their favorable soil and climate conditions for avocado cultivation. The organization is encouraging local farmers to embrace avocado farming as a lucrative opportunity.
KALRO has invested substantial effort in research to ensure that the avocado varieties offered to farmers are certified by the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) and capable of meeting international market demand.
Director Musyoki highlighted the potential for direct avocado exports from regions like Kisumu, emphasizing the proximity to an international airport that launched cargo flights the previous year. KALRO is working on strategies to make seedlings easily accessible to a wide range of farmers, considering options such as allowing farmers to place orders without immediate payment, with a 60-day payment window.
Kenya boasts more than 40 avocado varieties, but the Hass variety remains the primary choice for exports. In 2022, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) reported an average farm gate price of Sh18 per kilo for Hass avocados, compared to an average export price of Sh150 per kilogram.
Currently, Kenya leads the African avocado export market with a production of 417,000 tonnes, leaving Ethiopia in second place with 152,000 tonnes in 2022.