February 7, 2018, Nairobi. Selina Wamucii Ltd, a Kenyan based fresh produce exporter has welcomed the move by Kenya’s Agriculture and Food Authority to lift a temporary ban on export of all Kenyan Fuerte and Hass avocado varieties over maturity issues.
The company’s CEO Selina John Oroko said the lifting of the temporary suspension on the avocado exporters would bring relief to the farmers, exporters, and importers of Kenyan avocados from across the world.
“It’s definitely very good news for the small family growers who produce over 70 per cent of avocado that is exported in Kenya,” he said.
“The temporary ban was a wake-up call for the exporters with the ban having been imposed to stop exporters shipping out immature crop because of high demand in the world market. We are now getting into the main avocado season and hope that all industry players comply with the export requirements. The responsibility is now on the exporters to follow the protocols to avoid any future suspensions,” Mr. Oroko said.
To ensure that only mature avocados are exported, Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) has said that for an avocado to be deemed to be mature it must have a dull appearance of the skin for Fuerte, have shriveling and yellowing of the fruit stalk, when cut and the seed is removed, the seed-coat is dark brown and dry and does not adhere to the flesh and contain at least 20 per cent dry matter content and oil content of 8 per cent and above.