Morocco has overtaken Kenya as Africa’s leading avocado exporter, with shipments soaring while Nairobi's exports stumbled amid logistical bottlenecks, according to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).
- •Kenya, historically the continent’s leading avocado supplier, saw exports drop 19% in 2025, to an estimated 105,000 tonnes, while Morocco nearly doubled its shipments to 140,000 tonnes, driven by years of sustained investment in production expansion.
- •The decline in Kenya’s exports was primarily tied to the Red Sea crisis, which nearly doubled transit times to Europe from 20 days to 45 days.
- •The shift marks a significant reversal in African avocado trade dynamics, with Morocco now supplying the bulk of the European Union (EU) market previously dominated by Kenya.
Higher shipping costs further eroded Kenya’s competitive advantage, despite its historically low average export unit values of around US$1,300 per tonne, roughly 50 percent lower than Peru and well below Morocco’s US$2,747 per tonne.
Kenya’s heavy reliance on the EU market, which accounts for more than half of its exports, compounded the impact of these disruptions. Morocco increased its harvested area by 40% between 2022 and 2024 and raised output by 17% over the same period.
With nearly 90% of shipments directed to EU markets, Moroccan avocados benefitted from stable logistics, consistent market access, and favorable trade routes, enabling the country to surpass Kenya despite the latter’s larger planted acreage and historical dominance.
Kenya’s fall from its leading position is particularly striking given the country’s significant production investments over the past decade. Official data reported to FAO indicate that Kenya’s harvested avocado area nearly quadrupled since 2015, reaching 33,428 hectares in 2023.
Globally, avocado exports expanded 13% in 2025, to around 3.3 million tonnes, a sharp acceleration from the 2% growth in 2024. Mexico remains the world’s leading supplier, shipping an estimated 1.2 million tonnes, although exports there contracted 3% as domestic demand absorbed more of the country’s harvest.
Peru, the second-largest supplier, saw exports surge 40% to 800,000 tonnes, driven by highly favorable weather and an extended growing season. Emerging suppliers including Chile and the Dominican Republic recorded strong gains of 67% and 20% respectively. These exports were mainly directed to the United States.
South Africa’s exports declined 6%, to an estimated 80,000 tonnes, similarly hampered by extended shipping times and the Red Sea crisis.
