Nairobi: The Kenya Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) has directed farmers and exporters to commence the harvesting of Fuerte and Pinkerton avocado varieties from February 14. The directive follows a survey carried out between January 20 and 23, which determined that sufficient volumes of these varieties are ready for harvest in certain regions.
According to Kenya News Agency, the notice, dated January 24 and signed by AFA Director General Grace Kyallo, stated that export clearance for the two avocado varieties will begin on February 14, pending inspection of pack houses. However, the Hass variety is not yet ready for harvest across the major production regions in the country.
The directive comes amid concerns from farmers, particularly from Kandara in Murang’a, who have reported theft and the selling of immature avocados to unscrupulous brokers. Last year, AFA suspended avocado harvesting and exporting by sea from October 25 to prevent immature fruits from reaching international markets. The authority has continued to monitor avocado maturity trends and conducted a survey on the off-season crop in November 2024.
AFA’s mandate to enforce the Crops (Horticulture Crops) Act 2020 aims to ensure that only mature avocados are harvested and exported. This effort is crucial for sustaining and expanding Kenya’s international markets while minimizing crop cycle disruptions caused by harvesting immature fruits, which could reduce projected volumes in future harvests.
Murang’a county commissioner Joshua Nkanatha warned against traders who buy avocados without adhering to government procedures, as this perpetuates the theft of immature fruits. Nkanatha emphasized that exporting low-quality fruits could harm the reputation of Kenyan avocados abroad. He added that selling mature and high-quality avocados will secure better prices for farmers and enhance the country’s fruit reputation.