Isaac Kinale, an avocado farmer, shows an avocado tree on a farm in Muranga County, Kenya, Feb. 4, 2021. (Xinhua/Bedah Mengo)
Kenya's exports of avocados hit 26,000 tonnes between January and March, compared to 15,000 tonnes registered in a similar period in 2020, a government official said Tuesday.
NAIROBI, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's exports of avocados hit 26,000 tonnes between January and March compared to 15,000 tonnes registered in a similar period in 2020, a government official said Tuesday.
Benjamin Tito, director of Horticultural Crops Directorate, told Xinhua via phone that the main markets are Europe and the Middle East region.
Photo taken on Feb. 4, 2021 shows avocados hanging on a branch of a tree in Muranga County, Kenya. (Xinhua/Bedah Mengo)
"The key driver for expanding exports is increased demand of Kenyan avocado which is equatorially grown and hence the flavor, oil content and dry matter are well developed," Tito said.
Data from the Ministry of Agriculture show that avocado is the most important fruit for export to the east African nation.
Tito noted that Kenyan farmers have embraced avocado due to increasing foreign demand.
He observed that there has been an increase in area under cultivation and a shift from the traditional avocado growing zones to the Rift Valley and parts of Western Kenya. ■
