Selina Wamucii lauds lift of ban on Kenya avocado exports
Kenya based fresh produce exporter Selina Wamucii Ltd has hailed the directive by Kenya’s Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) to lift a temporary ban on export of all Kenyan Fuerte and Hass avocado varieties over maturity issues.
Selina Wamucii CEO John Oroko said the lifting of the temporary suspension on the avocado exporters would bring relief to the farmers, exporters, and importers of Kenyan avocados from across the world.
"It's definitely very good news for the small family growers who produce over 70 per cent of avocado that is exported in Kenya," he said.
"The temporary ban was a wake-up call for the exporters with the ban having been imposed to stop exporters shipping out immature crop because of high demand in the world market. We are now getting into the main avocado season and hope that all industry players comply with the export requirements. The responsibility is now on the exporters to follow the protocols to avoid any future suspensions," Mr. Oroko said.
To ensure that only mature avocados are exported, Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) has set in place a criteria for mature avocado which include having a dull appearance of the skin for Fuerte, shriveling and yellowing of the fruit stalk, when cut and the seed is removed, the seed-coat is dark brown and dry and does not adhere to the flesh and it should contain at least 20 per cent dry matter content and eight per cent or more of oil content.
