Kenya’s avocado industry faces urgent need for growth amid global challenges
KENYA – Kenya, one of the world’s largest avocado exporters, faces growing pressure to adapt and expand its operations as logistical disruptions and global competition strain its supply chain.
This feature was originally published in the January–February 2025 issue of Logistics Update Africa, highlighting the key challenges and opportunities facing Kenya’s avocado industry in the global market.
Each year, Kenya exports between 3,000 and 4,000 reefer containers of avocados, primarily through sea routes. However, recent disruptions in the Red Sea, driven by geopolitical conflicts, have significantly increased freight costs and transit times.
These delays now require Kenyan exporters to send shipments via the Cape of Good Hope instead of the Suez Canal, adding two weeks to a journey that already pushes the limits of the fruit’s shelf life.
Christopher Flowers, Managing Director of Kakuzi, explained the delicate situation. “The controlled-atmosphere containers can preserve the fruit for a maximum of 50 days.
Any deviation from the ideal conditions could result in the fruit being dead on arrival,” he stated. Kakuzi, a major player in the Kenyan avocado market, derives 60 to 70 percent of its income from the crop.
The rising freight costs are another setback for exporters. Martin Ochien’g, CEO of Sasini, revealed, “A container that once cost USD 1,500 to USD 2,000 to ship to Europe now costs around USD 3,000 due to these logistical challenges.”
Kenyan exporters also face growing competition from Latin American producers, particularly Peru. A newly inaugurated deep-water port in Chancay, Peru, has reduced the transit time for avocados to China by 20 days, allowing Peruvians to outpace East African producers in global markets.
“This port has shifted the dynamics,” Flowers noted. “Peru can now outcompete Kenya not just in transit times but also in market accessibility.”
Despite these challenges, Kenyan exporters are looking inward and outward for solutions. Expanding production regions within Kenya is a key strategy.
Currently, most avocado production is concentrated in the Central and Rift Valley regions. Diversifying production to other areas could provide year-round availability and mitigate risks tied to specific harvest seasons.
“There’s a need to mobilize other provinces to grow avocados,” said Kenneth Oluoch, Director of Knvella Fresh Exporters. He highlighted Tanzania’s success in creating an all-year-round supply by growing avocados across different regions.
Investing in infrastructure, such as cold storage facilities and packhouses closer to farms, is another priority. “Proper pre-cooling and cold chain management are critical to ensuring the quality of avocados during longer transit times,” explained Christo van der Meer, Manager of Seafreight Perishables at Kuehne+Nagel East Africa.
Diversifying export markets is equally important. While Europe remains the largest market for Kenyan avocados, exporters are exploring opportunities in China, the Middle East, and India.
Kenya’s avocado industry faces urgent need for growth amid global challenges
KENYA – Kenya, one of the world’s largest avocado exporters, faces growing pressure to adapt and expand its operations as logistical disruptions and global competition strain its supply chain.
This feature was originally published in the January–February 2025 issue of Logistics Update Africa, highlighting the key challenges and opportunities facing Kenya’s avocado industry in the global market.
Each year, Kenya exports between 3,000 and 4,000 reefer containers of avocados, primarily through sea routes. However, recent disruptions in the Red Sea, driven by geopolitical conflicts, have significantly increased freight costs and transit times.
These delays now require Kenyan exporters to send shipments via the Cape of Good Hope instead of the Suez Canal, adding two weeks to a journey that already pushes the limits of the fruit’s shelf life.
Christopher Flowers, Managing Director of Kakuzi, explained the delicate situation. “The controlled-atmosphere containers can preserve the fruit for a maximum of 50 days.
Any deviation from the ideal conditions could result in the fruit being dead on arrival,” he stated. Kakuzi, a major player in the Kenyan avocado market, derives 60 to 70 percent of its income from the crop.
The rising freight costs are another setback for exporters. Martin Ochien’g, CEO of Sasini, revealed, “A container that once cost USD 1,500 to USD 2,000 to ship to Europe now costs around USD 3,000 due to these logistical challenges.”
Kenyan exporters also face growing competition from Latin American producers, particularly Peru. A newly inaugurated deep-water port in Chancay, Peru, has reduced the transit time for avocados to China by 20 days, allowing Peruvians to outpace East African producers in global markets.
“This port has shifted the dynamics,” Flowers noted. “Peru can now outcompete Kenya not just in transit times but also in market accessibility.”
Despite these challenges, Kenyan exporters are looking inward and outward for solutions. Expanding production regions within Kenya is a key strategy.
Currently, most avocado production is concentrated in the Central and Rift Valley regions. Diversifying production to other areas could provide year-round availability and mitigate risks tied to specific harvest seasons.
“There’s a need to mobilize other provinces to grow avocados,” said Kenneth Oluoch, Director of Knvella Fresh Exporters. He highlighted Tanzania’s success in creating an all-year-round supply by growing avocados across different regions.
Investing in infrastructure, such as cold storage facilities and packhouses closer to farms, is another priority. “Proper pre-cooling and cold chain management are critical to ensuring the quality of avocados during longer transit times,” explained Christo van der Meer, Manager of Seafreight Perishables at Kuehne+Nagel East Africa.
Diversifying export markets is equally important. While Europe remains the largest market for Kenyan avocados, exporters are exploring opportunities in China, the Middle East, and India.