Kenya has banned avocado exports, after reports of premature exports emerged. The Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) suspended the export of the fruit indefinitely.
According to the Horticultural Crops Directorate, the move seeks to safeguard quality after middle men began putting pressure on farmers to harvest premature fruit, encouraged by the huge benefits reaped from the Chinese market.
The enforcement of this restriction is to ensure quality products are produced and marketed. Harvesting and export of immature avocado has negatively affected Kenyan image in overseas markets.
Horticultural Crops Directorate, Bernard Ondanje
Unfortunately, this comes as a big blow to the farmers, seeing that just recently, China slashed the tariff on Kenya’s avocado exports from 30% to 7%, a move that was likely to see farmers hugely benefit from the trade.
Read Also: Tariff on Kenya’s Avocado Exports to China Slashed to 7%
Apart from China, Kenya’s other overseas markets include European Union countries, which account for 42% of the Avocado exports, and Middle East at 28%.
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