The Kenyan avocado season got off to a slower start than expected, says Dipesh Devraj, commercial director of Kenyan avocado exporter Keitt Exporters: “The much-awaited avocado season for Kenya officially commenced on 24th March, just a few days ago. The start of the season has been slower than anticipated, owing to the drought in the region, delaying the harvest and the commencement of the season. With the onset of the rains over the last couple of weeks, we are expecting an improvement in dry matter, fruit sizes and overall quality of the avocados for the duration of this season.”
Although the rains pestered a lot of Kenyan farms, Keitt managed to take good care of the farms under its control, Devraj explains. “Our farms are in good condition, despite the climatic challenges the region has encountered over the recent past. There are several reasons for this. We’ve implemented sustainable water harvesting practices, including but not limited to rainwater harvesting. We’re reducing the use of synthetic fertilisers and moving towards manufacturing our own organic compost from organic waste to further ensure our commitment to sustainable practices.”
Despite these challenges with the weather, Keitt expects a positive season ahead. The exporter has also been trying to make the growers under its umbrella aware of the sustainable practices: “We’ve been focusing on environmental and social sustainability in our own farms, while extending this through to our outgrowers. This is done to inform and educate them on the importance of environmental conservation through rainforest alliance accrediting. Despite the challenges, we anticipate a great avocado season with favourable prices for the common cultivars,” Devraj concludes.
For more information:
Dipesh Devraj
Keitt Exporters Limited
Mobile: +254 722 204 391
Email: dipesh@keitt.co.ke
www.keitt.co.ke