The first consignment of fresh avocados from Kenya hit the Chinese market this month. Kenya’s Ambassador to China Amb. Muthoni Gichohi graced the official hand-over ceremony of the Kenya’s fresh avocado exports to China. The event took place in Beijing, China. The Ambassador applauded the efforts made by the Government of Kenya and the Chinese Government towards this noble achievement. She also affirmed Kenya’s commitment to supporting the business communities in both countries as they look forward to enhancing trade facilitation as well as market access of their products and services.
The journey towards exporting avocados to China began in 2018 when China hosted the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai. The Kenyan high-level delegation to CIIE was led by H.E President Uhuru Kenyatta who witnessed the signing of various key Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) including the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) protocol. This protocol is geared toward granting market access to thirteen (13) prioritised agricultural products to be fast-tracked for export clearance. The products include avocados, french beans, legumes, flowers, vegetables, herbs, mangoes, peanuts, meat, hides and skin, bixa, macadamia nuts, gum Arabica, myrrh, and asian vegetables (chilli and karella).
In March 2019 the Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (KEPROBA) in collaboration with the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services (KEPHIS) facilitated the Chinese Phytosanitary Inspectors who came to undertake a Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) on Kenyan avocados. Unfortunately, Kenya was unable to meet the requirements for the export of fresh avocados to China at the time. The Inspectors were however taken to Sunripe Limited in Naivasha to assess a frozen avocados processing plant which attained a positive compliance rate with the set standards. It is during this period that Kenya was granted market access for her frozen avocados making her the first country in Africa to export frozen avocados to China.
Since then, there have been various engagements and sensitization programs for exporters as well as farmers of Kenya’s fresh produce in a bid to raise awareness on the need to comply with the Chinese requirements for exports to this market.
Several companies have so far complied with the set standards and have been approved to export fresh avocados to the Republic of China. The Companies include Sunripe Limited, Kakuzi PLC, Soloplant, Keitt, Vegpro, Benta Fresh, East African Growers, and Mofarm.
Kenya is currently the world’s 6th producer of avocados and the largest African producer of avocados, mainly grown by small-scale farmers. The export of avocados to the Chinese market has huge potential and experts have estimated that the exports to China could account for up to 40% of Kenya’s total avocado output. The market opportunity is also very huge as close to 300 - 400 tonnes can be shipped each week to China.
In 2021, Kenya’s exports to China amounted to USD 199.6 million while the imports from China amounted to USD 4 billion. The balance of trade remains heavily tilted in favour of China. The opening up of avocado exports to the Chinese market will greatly improve the incomes of local small-scale farmers in Kenya. It will also increase Kenya’s foreign exchange earnings while addressing the current trade imbalance.
This breakthrough will also enhance the opening up of exports for other quality agricultural products from Kenya to China as negotiated in the signed 2018 SPS protocol. Kenya targets to increase her brand visibility in the lucrative Chinese Market which has a huge potential taking into account her high population of approximately 1.4 billion people.