In addition to avocados from Kenya and Tanzania this fall, Davis Europe will also begin getting deliveries from Rwanda. "The Rwandan avocado season runs from October to February, perfectly fitting between the other two origins," says CEO Edward Koemans, just back from a visit to his African suppliers.
He sees great potential in Rwanda as an avocado producer. "The beauty of this country is that there's very little corruption, which is unique by African standards. It's a developing country in which the avocado sector must develop, too, with a strong focus on quality. A lot of knowledge is being sourced from Kenya. Our business partner has about 70 hectares, a warehouse, and has all certifications from Smeta to GRASP and GlobalGAP well in order. They're taking a very professional approach to cultivation and will be in full production by 2026."
Warehouse in Rwanda
Last year, Davis entered a joint venture with Saipei, which has locations in Kenya and Tanzania. Besides conventional avocados, Davis Europe also sells organic Kenyan avocados, most of which find their way to the Spanish market. From April 1, Paul Vroombout will join Davis Europe as an account manager, specifically for the avocado trade.
"Kenya's season is normal this year. There's plenty of loading, as Peru is expected to also send large volumes. The season should, thus, end better than expected," Edward explains. Due to the Red Sea issues, exports from these African countries are less focused on Europe. "We're also shipping many avocados from Tanzania to India, with a transit time of just eight days. Tanzania is sending a lot of avocados to the Middle East, too, but we have less representation in that market."
"The avocado market is good and will probably stay so for the coming weeks. There's a significant surge coming from Kenya and later Peru, though, so it remains to be seen how the market will react. I'm pleased that the Kenyan government strictly monitors avocados to ensure they are shipped with the correct dry matter content. I'm also happy with the quality I've seen. The trees aren't too heavy with fruit, and the sizes are good. Overall, it should be a good season," Edward concludes.
For more information:
Edward Koemans
Davis Europe
Tel.: +31 (0) 882 665 555
ekoemans@davisworldwide.nl
www.davisworldwide.nl