Kenya has opened its avocado export season for the 2025/2026 fiscal year, with harvesting for export starting on April 2, 2026, following improved fruit maturity across major production zones.
The Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) confirmed that all fresh avocados for export will undergo mandatory packhouse inspections from April 7, 2026, with exporters required to apply at least three days before shipment. Exporters must also submit lists of registered Horticultural Produce Marketing Agents or suppliers by March 30, 2026, to ensure traceability.
"The Authority undertook an avocado field survey from March 1 to 6, 2026, to ascertain maturity indices and volumes of the avocado fruit in major production zones. The mature fruits were deemed insufficient to warrant opening of the avocado harvesting season, then necessitating an extension of restriction on avocado harvesting for shipment by sea," said Calistus Kundu. "We have now noted improved fruit maturity in major production zones, allowing us to commence export harvesting from April 2, 2026."
Avocados for oil processing will only be harvested from April 30, 2026, due to higher maturity requirements. The AFA stated that fruit must be transported in crates, with exporters using open trucks, pickups, or Probox vehicles at risk of licence revocation. Harvesting or processing immature fruit is prohibited, with packhouse and processing facility surveillance in place.
"It has been noted that some exporters and processors are harvesting immature avocados. The Authority shall be conducting pack-house and avocado oil processing facility surveillance," the agency said.
At Jomo Kenyatta International Airport cargo terminal, inspectors from the Horticultural Crops Directorate are verifying oil content and rejecting consignments that do not meet maturity thresholds. The controls focus on dry matter content, with avocados required to meet 20 per cent to 24 per cent, depending on variety, before export clearance.
Kenya exported approximately 110,000 metric tons of avocados in the 2024-2025 period, valued at over KES 25 billion (US$190 million). Rejection rates for immature fruit in premium markets can reach 30 per cent, resulting in losses exceeding KES 7.5 billion (US$57 million) annually. Licence revocation for non-compliant exporters has increased by 40 per cent year-on-year.
Industry dynamics remain influenced by supply chain structures. Brokers often aggregate fruit from smallholder growers, mixing mature and immature batches to meet early demand. This affects shipment performance, as fruit harvested with low oil content fails to ripen to the required standards, leading to rejection in export markets.
Kenya remains a leading avocado exporter in Africa, operating in a competitive market alongside suppliers such as Peru and Mexico. The AFA is implementing export windows aligned with biological maturity and applying traceability systems to link shipments to origin and harvest timing. The measures are intended to manage supply consistency and maintain market access.
Sources: Streamline, The Eastleigh Voice
