Small domestic production opens an opportunity for good quality imports, said Swadha Rizvi, Deputy Secretary, East and Southern Africa Division, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, at the launch event of Kenyan Avocado in India jointly organised by Kenya High Commission and ASSOCHAM. This avocado launch event will improve bilateral relations with robust and multi-faceted partnerships. India offers immense potential for avocado consumption, she said.
She further focused on saying that it took eight long years of negotiations and diplomacy for Kenya to get market access in India for Avocados. So, it is definitely a moment to celebrate as Avocado represents the history, culture and emotions of Kenya and culture is a gateway that has the power to bind countries together and its people together. This is a milestone in the diplomacy and bilateral relations between India and Kenya. The Government of India is confident that Avocado imports from Kenya will help us to strengthen our trade relations with the African country.
Amb. Irene Oloo, Deputy High Commissioner of Kenya to India shared insights on how Kenya exports about 23 per cent of production of avocados. (95,000 tonnes). The increased production of avocados in Kenya calls for increased market access. It is for this reason that Kenya urged India to allow market access for Kenyan avocados.
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She further added, “The value of trade between two countries has been growing over the years to USD 1.83 billion in 2022. Currently, the balance of trade is in favour of India. We are confident the Indian market access to Kenyan avocados will help balance the trade deficit and will facilitate growth and development in this sector, she highlighted.
“Kenya is the world’s 6th largest avocado producer with a cultivated area of nearly 26,000 hectares and a production of 416,000 metric tonnes in 2021, double that of 2016. The increase of 20 per cent per annum on average has been achieved largely through the expansion of avocado plantations by an average of 14 per cent per annum with yields increasing by about 6 per cent. This sector is dominated by small farmers owning less than two hectares of landholding, who contribute 70 per cent of all Kenyan avocados,” Oloo further said.
“Kenya exports 23 per cent of the production of avocados. Kenya accounts for about 82 per cent of East African community avocado fruits export. Kenya’s main export markets are the Netherlands, USA, China, Spain, UK, UAE, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt among others. We are happy that India has been added to its export markets,” the Kenyan High Commissioner added.
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Dr Umesh Kamble, Co-Chairman, ASSOCHAM MSDC and Founder & CEO, Farm to Forks highlighted the nutritional value of avocado and called avocado as green gold. Consumption of avocados is growing in India with respect to additional health benefits but the availability is less. It is a value-added product for agribusiness.
Dr. Kamble called for awareness creation and promotion of avocado consumption among Indians. “To further boost the consumption of avocados in India, we need to focus on awareness campaigns and educational initiatives to educate people about the nutritional benefits of avocados, different ways to incorporate them into daily meals, and the importance of supporting domestic avocado farmers,” Kamble added. He also urged the industry to invest in research to develop innovative avocado-based products that cater to the Indian palate and meet consumer demands. Avocado imports from Kenya will help Indian consumers to get it from the local markets.
