The Indian government gave Kenya access to the market after notifying the World Trade Organisation
Kenya has been given the green light to export avocados to India starting in September. This move will allow Kenyan farmers to increase their avocado plantings, leading to higher earnings, employment opportunities, and downstream benefits.
Currently, Kenya’s primary export destinations for avocados are European countries such as the Netherlands, France, Spain, the UK, and Germany, making up 60 per cent of exports. In fact, avocados have become the second most valuable imported fruit from developing countries in Europe, surpassing grapes. Kenya also exports avocados to several other countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Georgia. The Indian government gave Kenya access to the market after notifying the World Trade Organisation. Kenyan avocado growers are required to fumigate the fruits with Methyl bromide or use cold treatment to control pests such as fruit flies. The inaugural shipment will be sent via diplomatic channels, and thereafter exporters will seek out partners to export with the help of KEPHIS. Kenya has been negotiating with India for five years on this export deal and has also recently expanded its avocado exports to China and Mauritius and is in talks with the USA and South Korea for market access.
