•However, the country only exported 10 per cent of its total avocado production showing a niche and a gap that can be exploited.
•The horticulture sector has remained resilient over the last year and it is projected to remain so
Image: Alice Waithera
Horticulture exports rose from Sh136.7 billion last year to Sh145.4 billion, representing a six per cent increase.
Horticulture Crops Directorate head Benjamin Tito Monday said last year avocado farmers returned Sh14.41 billion in the review period compared to Sh14.48 billion in the same period the previous year.
Kenya was the leading exporter of avocado in Africa and among the top 10 world exporters last year.
Murang’a county led with 31 per cent total production.
However, the country only exported 10 per cent of its total avocado production showing a niche and a gap that can be exploited.
Tito said Murang’a was followed by Kiambu while Nakuru, Kisii, Nyamira, Meru and Bomet came in third place.
He said in the same period, Nyeri, Laikipia, Elgeyo Marakwet and Uasin Gishu have nearly doubled the area under production and are counties to watch in the next two years when the crops come to bear.
“Volumes of the highly sought commodity in the local and international market went up to 84.5 million kgs from 70.3 million kgs recorded between January-November last year,” he said.
Tito, however, said the directorate together with other value chains have closed the avocado harvesting season from November 15 to early January 2022.
He said the season was closed to prevent the export of immature avocados which he said has negatively affected the image of the country in the overseas market.
This was interfering with the cropping cycle of trees thereby reducing projected volumes in subsequent harvests.
“The closure of the season was necessitated by a surveillance that was conducted in September in major avocado production agro-ecological zones to ascertain the volumes of avocado fruits that can be exported by either sea or air,” he said.
Tito, however, said the review to open avocado exports will be done on January 15 2022 with allowable offseason sizes for varieties of Hass and Fuerte limited to a maximum size code of 22 and 24 respectively.
For the Jumbo variety, the director said the size will be limited to a minimum size of code 20 which is 184Kg to ensure maturity is observed
Tito said the horticulture sector has remained resilient over the last year and it is projected to remain so.
He warned that this can only work if all players self-regulate and are disciplined in export as stipulated in the code of practice for horticulture.
This, he said was due to the increased volumes despite the average export prices achieved being low compared to those achieved last year.
“The total volume and value of horticulture exports reached 313 million kilos with a value of Sh150 billion,” he said
The total volume of exports, increased by 85 million kilos representing a 30 per cent rise that was attributed to increased demand especially flowers and vegetables.
He said the demand for fresh produce has started picking up as most of the export destinations started relaxing the protocol of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“During the review period, cut flowers shipped to the lucrative European market reached Sh101 billion followed by vegetables at Sh26.8 billion, fruits returned Sh17.5 billion,” he said.
Vegetable exports volumes increased from 34.38 million kilos last year to 65.13 million kilos and the value increased from Sh13.9 billion 2020 to Sh23.78 billion in 2021 with the United Kingdom, Holland and France continuing to be leading export destinations,”
He said the volume of fruits exported increased from 99.5 million kgs last year to 110.5 million kgs representing an 11 per cent rise as compared to the same period last year.
The director however said the value dropped from Sh17.75 billion to Sh 17.57 billion in 2021 representing a slight decrease of 1 per cent.
On resumption of mango exports to the EU market after a seven-year self-ban, Tito said all logistics have been worked out and soon the exporters will start shipping the fruit after EU approval allowing exports of hot water treated mango.
“In July, Kenya exported the first hot water treated mango consignment successfully to Italy and it was found to be compliant in both phytosanitary and quality aspects,” Tito said.
The agriculture sector is the mainstay of Kenya’s economy contributing 29.3 per cent to the GDP and accounting for 80 per cent of national employment.
According to the Kenya Economic Survey 2020, the leading subsectors last year were Dairy, Horticulture and Tea.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris