Kenyan avocado growers seek direct access to EU market
The move follows the intervention of the county government that last year started distributing free seedlings of the commercially viable Hass cultivar avocado, which has high demand in the European market.
About 30,000 farmers are estimated to have benefitted from the scheme with the first crop expected at the end of this year.
“We are sure avocado will overtake coffee as the most important cash crop in Murang’a once we complete the whole cycle and start exporting to Europe,” Murang’a governor, Mwangi wa Iria, said.
“Avocado consumption in Kenya stands at between two to three kilogrammes annually per head , below the European average of 10 to 15 kilos per year,” the governor said in an interview. “Kenya produces about 115 metric tonnes of avocados annually, 70 percent of which is grown by small-scale farmers.”
source: the-star.co.ke
