NAIROBI: Kenyan avocado exports have recorded a 10 percent increase annually for the last few years. According to Keitt Exporters Ltd Managing Director Asif Amin, the demand for Kenyan avocados has been on an upward trend for the last three years as exporters, as well as growers, have done their best in meeting the international market standards.
“We are looking into a very good future as the demand can only get better. One of the major steps that has seen us achieve the 10 percent growth at Keitt, is putting farmers under one umbrella body so as to enhance efficiency in our operations. This makes it easier in terms of training and trading. We also work with non-governmental organisations which have been instrumental in training farmers on how to handle their produce after harvesting, as well helping them with logistics after harvesting,” explains Amin. Keitt, a leading fruit and vegetable exporter, has so far contracted over 1,000 growers and has been working with them for the last four years. It exported 180 containers of avocados in 2014, 230 in 2015 and this year so far, 280 containers have already gone out by sea and almost the same tonnage has been shipped to different destinations by air.
“We have been in this business for 16 years now and every year is different from the other. Our Dubai market especially continues to grow as there are exporters who also export our avocados on to neighbouring countries such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar,” explains Amin. One of the challenges that Keitt as well as other exporters have had to grapple with, is the high cost of freight which is as much as double compared to other countries such as Peru and Chile.
