Kenyan avocado suppliers are uncertain about the regulations imposed by nation’s regulatory body as the harvesting season draws close. Traders call for an exemption to comply with regulations published by Agricultural Food Authority (AFA) set to be implemented from March 24, for eight months. The marketing agents pleaded with the Horticulture Crops Directorate (HCD) to allow them to operate for eight months as they prepare to comply.
In the regulations, the marketing agents are required to transport the fruits in plastic boxes and not bundle them in pick-ups. Avocado Marketing Agents Chairman Joseph Mukuria said the players in the sector were interested in complying with the law only if given time to organize themselves.
HCD official Sarah Ndegwa said there was a growing concern about the quality of the Kenyan avocado in the international market. Ndegwa said the debate on the introduction of the regulations has been a subject of discussion since 2018 in efforts to ensure Kenya’s quality was not compromised.
Source: standardmedia.co.ke