The Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) has frozen sea shipments of avocado from Friday, October 30, after a nationwide survey showed insufficient export-ready fruit.
The freeze applies to Hass, Fuerte, Pinkerton and Jumbo varieties and means exporters must use air freight, with each consignment inspected by the Horticultural Crops Directorate and traceability details submitted.
Avocado oil processors are also affected; those with oil stocks intended for export must obtain verification by Monday, November 2, and imports of avocado fruit for oil processing are barred.
In 2025 Kenya earned KSh20.8 billion from avocado exports, shipping 120,893 tonnes to markets such as the Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, Spain and France, the Netherlands accounting for KSh5.04 billion and the UAE for KSh4.02 billion.
Air freight for fresh produce is priced between $4.50 (about KSh585) and $6 (KSh780) per kilogram, compared with about $4 (KSh520) per kilogram for sea freight, adding $0.50 to $2 (KSh65 to KSh260) per kilogram and an extra $500 to $2,000 (KSh65,000 to KSh260,000) for a one-tonne load.
AFA said the low production threatens the quality of avocados in overseas markets and warned that premature harvesting could damage buyer confidence, pledging continued monitoring and future guidance on the next export window.
The authority also warned mango exporters that mixing mangoes with avocados in sea shipments breaches the Horticultural Crops Regulations, 2020; all mango consignments will now be inspected before an export certificate is issued and exporters risk losing their licence if they ignore the directive.
