Kenya becomes Africa’s number one avocado exporter, leapfrogs South Africa

After topping the continental rankings as the top exporter of avocados in Africa, South Africa has been overtaken by Kenya as latest statistics suggest.

The East Africans are now leading the standings as they are exporting more avocadoes to foreign markets such as China.

However, they face the daunting task of warding off thieves who give the hard-working farmers sleepless nights.

SABC News posted that in the heart of Kenya, where the majority of the country’s small-scale avocado farmers are found, coffee bushes are rapidly replaced by avocado trees due to global demand and higher earnings.

Owing to vigilante groups who prey on this valuable export, many small-scale farmers tend to struggle to guard their crops.

Speaking to the national broadcaster, Mary Gitau a farmer in Central Kenya, is on the verge of despair as she has no funds to employ people to patrol her farm.

However, the motivated farmer has opted to guard her crops and pins her hopes on a machete she is armed with.

The 70-year-old woman is now struggling to reap the rewards of the hard work owing to the heartless thieves who left her bankrupt despite working for years on her project.

“I can’t count the number of times, my avocadoes have been stolen, but the ones I can recall, I caught some thieves, just down there, where we are standing, this latest one is the 5th time,” says Gitau.

“When we were planting these trees, we knew they would benefit us in old age because now nobody can employ somebody like me, but I have not gained anything, especially during this harvest period.”

Because of the growth in demand for the healthy fruit that can also be served as a vegetable, Murang’a county farmers have now decided to get rid of other crops like coffee and tea – they are going for avocados also dubbed the Green Gold.

“So, what we have seen is a lot of demand both locally and internationally for the fruit, as people come to realize what the benefit is, that is leading more farmers coming to the industry,” says MD of Afrex Gold Ltd, Shiro Ndirango.

“We are selling to wholesalers and supermarkets.”

The Auckland Park-based broadcaster further reports that rigorous quality inspections are conducted at processing factories to ensure that exported fruits pass the size and shape checks.