Strict guidelines for selecting avocados are what the Avocado Exporters Association of Kenya (AEAK) wants. It's said that premature avocado harvesting costs the nation a lot of money.
According to the AEAK, premature avocado harvesters ought to face consequences. They say this because it damages our nation's image and costs money.
Kenya exported Ksh. 20 billion worth of avocados to the Middle East and Europe in 2023. However, according to AAEK, selecting avocados too early is costing us money.
Farmers, it is said, ought to be aware of when avocados are ready to be harvested. Unripe avocados will never mature correctly and will never taste nice. Typically, a mature avocado has a dark green color. It's not ripe if it's not dark green. More initiatives to teach farmers how to correctly select avocados are what AAEK wants to see.
The Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) has overturned a four-month restriction on avocado exports from Kenya, which makes this significant. The AFA's goal was to ensure that avocados met quality standards for export.
Exporters are subject to regulations, such as obtaining an inspection for their avocados three days before to shipment.
Kenya exports up to 20,000 metric tons of avocados annually, making it one of Africa's leading avocado growers.