By Judith Gicobi
As it is ready to send its second shipment of the product to the Asian nation, Kakuzi reports that it has received 10 significant requests for avocados from China.
The second shipment will be exported, according to the firm, in October of this year.
The company states that the first export shipment to China has been completely consumed, with a single fruit selling for Ksh 963.
The fruits consignment in East China has ran out and the firm plans to send a second cargo in October to replenish the market’s shelves.
Kakuzi, however, urges growers to abide by the strict phytosanitary requirements imposed on Kenyan Avocado exports to Chinese markets in order to decrease interceptions that would necessitate more thorough screening of consignments from Kenya.
The volumes sold to China are rather low in comparison to the volumes headed for the European market, according to Kakuzi Managing Director Christopher Flowers, and more exports are required to China in order to boost farmers’ incomes.
Kenya shipped 132,520 kilograms of avocados to China in the first half of this year for Ksh 28 million, as opposed to the Netherlands, where exports brought in Ksh 2.7 billion for farmers.
Kenya exports fresh avocados worth Ksh 162 million and Ksh 28 million, respectively, to Hong Kong and China, which are the new markets.
Kenya shipped 54 million kilograms of the fruit worldwide for a total of Ksh 8 billion.
