The Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) will in the next two weeks open the window for avocado exports.
Head of Horticulture Crops Directorate Benjamin Tito said the fresh harvesting and export export season of avocados follows the closure last year.
On 15 November 2022, the directorate closed the window for harvesting and export of mature avocados.
This was aimed at stopping the harvesting of immature fruits, which had become a menace and was negatively affecting the export market.
He said unless such action was taken it could lead to an export ban on avocados from Kenya.
A two-week export window was later granted between January 23 to February 6 for Fuerte, Hass, Jumbo and Pinkerton varieties.
“There was a closure of the harvesting season last year on 15 November. Then in late January to early February, we opened a small window to take care of the crop that had matured within the time that we had closed,” Tito said.
He told the Star in an interview on Thursday that the season will be opened in the next two weeks or so.
“The biggest delay has been lack of rains because the majority of the growers are using rain-fed agriculture, they are relying nearly 100 percent on rain. But things are a bit different for those doing irrigation, because they are able to water their crops,” he said.
According to a survey conducted in the first week of January 2023 by HCD, 10-35 percent of mature avocado is ready for export in the east of Rift and 10-30 percent in the west of Rift.
“The survey found that there was some off-season mature avocado in the east and west of the Rift that needed to be harvested,” he said.
Tito pointed out that the main season for the export of avocado starts on March 15 this year, and that this will come as a relief to farmers and exporters whose fruits have matured.
The exporters are required to apply to the directorate for field inspection and approval before harvesting.
Tito said that last week; a trader was arrested for harvesting immature avocados.
He said since introduction of controlled harvesting seasons, there has been great improvement.
"But you will never miss one or two people who always want to do something contrary to the law but we work with other Government agencies to handle such incidents,” Tito said.
