The enhanced transactions and improved prices had a demonstrator effect within the sector, stimulating new entrants. Going by the latest hcda statistics, avocado has a fare share among the leading export crops and kenya stands out as a major player in the avocado export market. The project derives from one of the core challenges identified by the government of uganda gou for poverty eradication production. The fruit is nearly sodium free, rich in potassium dietary fibre and vitamin b6, c, d and e. Box 2047, vista, california 92083, publisher of the avocado grower magazine. Avocado fruit farming information guide agri farming. These two varieties are used as scions upper parts of grafted fruits. The other avocado cultivar in kenya is fuerte which is grown by smallholders. Avocado packhouses at kakuzis avocado packhouse all avocados are graded to eliminate fruit with physical quality defects such as insect and wind damage, bruising and sunburn and the fruit is also weight sized. First edition march 1983 library of congress catalog card.
Successful shift from coffee to hass avocado farming youtube. We work closely with smallholders to improve quality and reliability of supply. A look at the current state of avocado farming in kenya. Avocados can give you good income the organic farmer. Report on avocado value chain mapping in siha and njombe vi photos on the cover page a section of africados avocado nursery an avocado farmer at itulike njombe about to ripe fruits at rungwe avocado companyrmer at ujindile njombe packaging boxes at africado siha avocado skin and hair care products at sido mbeya avocado.
Avocado fruit farming introduction of avocado fruit farming. For example, before the guatemala variations saw the light in south africa 1904, there were already smallscale native trees that would later bring about a master variety through grafting. In 2007, after 15 years of working on a large coffee farm in neighbouring kenya, parsons set out to convert the former german coffee farm into an avocado farm. These fruits are commonly called as butter fruits in india. Hass avocado is mainly cultivated by both small scale and large scale farmers in kenya. I am have been pushing the agenda especially in western kenya where sugarcane and maize farming is facing new challenges especially challenged by cheap imports from the neighboring countries and as far as brazil. Avocado is a nontraditional export crop of economic importance in kenya. However, further analysis reveals that contract farming does not have any significant effect on the total household income of smallholder avocado farmers. Avocado farming in kenya is mainly done due to its economic aspect. Jun 28, 2018 the main challenge for kenyas avocado sector is how to transform to a programmed world in a way that benefits kenyan exporters and smallholder farmers. Avocado fruit farming cultivation how to grow avocado. Jul 05, 2019 in 2007, after 15 years of working on a large coffee farm in neighbouring kenya, parsons set out to convert the former german coffee farm into an avocado farm. The avocado persea americana is native to the americas but grows well in kenya. Driven by our vision of a world where all people have viable livelihoods supported by healthy and productive landscapes, our global team of science, research, development, institutional and resource professionals seeks to better combine the science of discovery with the science of delivery.
In kenya, avocado is one of the most consumed fruits that is readily available in the market all year round. The kenyan market both domestic and export is growing but limited by the production capacity of the current farmers. A tree of 1 to 4 years is considered young, from 8 years on is considered adult and fully productive, a period that can extend for more than 20 or 25 years. The business case for investing in the export of avocados in. Africa avocado exporters ride on the fineness of the african avocado by world standards because it is a combination of local and international varieties. Some types of avocado in favorable conditions grow indefinitely figure 6 avocado trees. Smart farmer is an agricultural content and news website. Avocado farming is emerging as the new green gold quickly replacing coffee and other cash crops hitherto leading export items. In march 1930 an article appeared on grafting of avocado trees. The main challenge for kenyas avocado sector is how to transform to a programmed world in a way that benefits kenyan exporters and smallholder farmers. Rancher publications, and its assigns, are not responsible for the contents of the avocado growers handbook.
Approximately 76% of avocados are produced in america, 11% in africa, 9% in. A mature halls avocado tree that is well fed more than 5 years old should yield more than 500 fruits in one season or 800 fruits annually. Africado ltd was established in the kilimanjaro region of northern tanzania in 2007 as the first grower in tanzania of the hass cultivar. Mar 29, 2014 pact between kntc and ocp kenya heralds new era in fertiliser supply. Mar 06, 2018 congratulations to jungle avos kenya lets go organic.
Business plan for for avocado and mango value chain in the. Kenyas grounddown coffee farmers switch to avocado amid. Commercial avocado growers must therefore be linked closely to a good market. Nowadays, starting an avocado fruit farming is the best idea to start farming as a business plan, because the startup cost for growing avocado is very less than other fruit farming business plan. Fruit is packed into cartons with net weights of either 4 kg or bulk packs of 8 kg. I also want to venture into these farming of avocado business and i am looking for partner, who has started or want to begin, to share advices, strategies and extending into foreign market. Pact between kntc and ocp kenya heralds new era in fertiliser supply. Suppliers of avocado from kenya exporters of avocado from. Across kenyas ochre fields, farmers are switching coffee and tea for avocados and especially hass avocado variety in a bid to profit from. The ability of small holder farmers to plant trees or expand traditional tree based system is limited to a number of factors. In total, there are over half a million rwandan households that grow avocado, with a combined 15,000 hectares under cultivation. The magical avocados of tanzania trademark east africa. Avocado cultivation in kenya natural green movement. Kenyan farmers swap coffee for avocados to tap into global.
The most popular variety for the export market is the hass avocado. Aug 08, 2016 going by the latest hcda statistics, avocado has a fare share among the leading export crops and kenya stands out as a major player in the avocado export market. Although kenya s commercial production of avocado began only 40 years ago, avocados are now estimated to be the fourth most important national fruit crop, behind only to banana. Avocado farming in kenya and around the globe is gaining prominence partly because of the nutritious benefits of the avocado fruit. Avocado growing in kenya world agroforestry transforming. Avocado is a tropical fruit and looks similar to pear fruit. Locally avocado is sold at the market place from between kshs10 to kshs 50 depending on the size and quality. Specialised oils have strong business experience, systems and technical skills in place to drive the project with the implementation and operating the project. Hass avocado farming in kenya presents a good opportunity not only for farmers, but a growing population of youths to venture into. Does contract farming improve smallholder farmers income. Avocado s are a n important hortic ultural export crop in kenya, comprising approximately 75% of fresh fruit e xports recorded by hcda in 2003, and 14% of all recorded horticulture exports. The agricolleges international fundamentals of avocado production short course is a 9week programme designed to offer commercial farmers and their senior staff, together with first time students to the world of plants and more specifically avocados, an introduction to the agricultural sector. Avocado is an important commercial fruit in kenya both for local and export markets.
Avocados are ancient fruits and originated from central america and mexico. The results indicate that contract farming has a positive and significant effect on avocado income. The flower then remains closed the rest of the day. Agricultural markets for smallholder farmers in kenya. Moreover, since the farms are situated in mt kenya region with high altitudes, the crop protection requires little, thus making it purely organic.
Portions of articles have been excerpted from the midshipman series and appear in the avocado growers handbook with the permission of rancher publications, p. Avocado production fundamental courses agricolleges. The avocado flower avocado are not either male or female, as is the case with some fruit trees. Avocado farming has taken kenya by storm, due to the low maintenance and the ready market, locally and abroad. Ease of entry, maintenance, ability to be intercropped with other short term crops and the. Kenya produces an estimate of 115,000 metric tonnes of avocado per year. Pdf avocado production and marketing in southwestern ethiopia. One halls avocado, for example, retails at 10 shillings at kakuzi kenya limited. In kenya, through facilitation of a pilot business linkage with a lead firm, avocado farmers were able to produce in bulk, access markets, and obtain much needed services to improve production. Ana manages the avocado plant improvement scheme that aims to improve the productivity of the avocado industry by ensuring that avocado nursery trees of the best possible quality are produced by accredited saaga nurseries. The area under avocado cultivation and the volume of avocado production increased during 20052014 by 41 percent and 118 percent, respectively food and agriculture organization of the united nations fao, 2017. Each avocado flower contains both male and female flower parts, but they do not function at the same time each flower is female when it first opens and remains open for a brief two to three hours. Approximately 76% of avocados are produced in america, 11% in africa, 9% in asia and 2% in europe and in the south pacific.
Africado is tanzanias largest grower and exporter of avocados. The geographical position of kenya makes it easy to export to europe, asia, and china, as compared to other leading avocado growing countries such as mexico and other south american countries. With 322 avocado trees, i cannot go back to coffee. It is native to india, bangladesh, myanmar and malaysia, but can be found growing in more than 60 other countries throughout the world. The study uses data collected from 100 smallholder avocado farmers in kandara district in kenya and employs an instrumental variable model probit2sls to control for endogeneity in participation in the contract and examine the effect of cf on household, farm and avocado income.
A total of 35 avocado fruits categorized as apparently healthy 20, diseased 10 and decayed 5 avocado fruits were sampled from wholesalers, local market and farmers field during 2017. Going by the latest hcda statistics, avocado has a fair share among the leading export crops and kenya stands out as a major player in the avocado export market. Kakuzi buys and exports fuerte from smallholders purchasing 1,245 tonnes in 2011. Contract farming, where farmers commit to producing avocados in a given manner and buyers commit to purchasing the product, may be a good option for kenya. Avocado trees are very productive and are capable of fruiting all year round. The extensive penetration of avocado cultivation amongst shfs and the complimentary. We pride ourselves in offering indepth agricultural information and publishing the quarterly smart farmers magazine. Avocado growing is largely a permanent investment and, therefore, there is need for careful planning before venturing into it. Some types of avocado in favorable conditions grow indefinitely figure 6.
The impact of smallholder farmers participation in avocado. What avocado export market wants from you daily nation. Fuerte is the main variety grown in kenya although haas is developing strongly, especially among small growers. Current state of hass avocado farming in african kenya and. This includes most of pacific america, southeast asia and continental africa where africa hass. That is more than double last yearas price, according to bloomberg data. Vorster westfalia estate, duiwelskloof, south africa introduction avocado production in south africa is an exportorientated industry, aimed primarily at the european market. It is very nutritious with a high protein and oil content and is now becoming increasingly important as an export crop. Increased investment by the county governments has come as a boon to many farmers who previously had to suffer low prices from ravenous brokersfleecing farmers of their incomes.
Planting book 1 chapter 6 78 it has been suggested by reuben hofshi hofshi 1999 that hass avocados might be grown on a high density close spacing, the benefits being improved yield per acre and less costs for harvesting. Organic avocados farming in kenya by jungle avos youtube. The production is concentrated mainly in the warm subtropical areas of the limpopo. Kenya has about 7,500ha under the crop with more than 70 per cent of total avocado production coming from smallholder farmers. How avocado farming is helping tanzanian communities flourish. Nyeri farmers to get 2 million avocado trees bizna kenya. This cultivar is termed a green skin as the skin remains green as it becomes ripe and ready for eating. Africa avocadosan overview of current state of avocado. Commercialization of the fruit through contract farming is a viable alternative for improving the welfare of majority of smallholder farmers involved in its production. Current state of hass avocado farming in african kenya and africa hass avocado could be a universal fruit that thrives in most climatic zone climes and therefore the temperate belt of the planet. Congratulations to jungle avos kenya lets go organic. Analysis of avocado marketing in transnzoia district, kenya. The total area under avocado cultivation in kenya is about 11,000 ha. Kenya is now africas secondlargest producer of avocados behind south africa, weru said with 7,500 hectares under cultivation.
Hass avocado does well in altitudes between m to 2000m. Jul 06, 2018 avocado farmer mbugua said kenya has a good climate for the crop, adding that the hass varietal that he and many grow is tolerant of different rainfall conditions and easy to propagate. In kenya, hass avocado is mainly cultivated by both largescale growers and small scale farmers. With 322 avocado trees, i cannot go back to coffee daily nation. Presently the avocado is grown in the tropics on both sides of the equator and in subtropical regions up to 43 latitude. Avocado from kenya free to use unique search engine of reliable, genuine and verified companies, suppliers, exporters, sellers, manufacturers, factories, traders, tradeleads of products and services from all over the world. Avocado farmer mbugua said kenya has a good climate for the crop, adding that the hass varietal that he and many grow is tolerant of different rainfall conditions and easy to propagate. An article in the may 1929 edition of this journal lists the avocado mexican types as suitable for planting in the then natal, currently kwazulunatal. These fruits are a good source of nutrients compared to other fruits. The life cycle of avocado longevity and productive period is a long one. What avocado export market wants from you saturday november 4 2017 ron yariv, one of the directors of soloplant farm holds a seedling while addressing farmers during a field day at the farm. Avocados are existed since the 1900s in india and first. Set on equator, kenyan avocado production lasts for longer seasons and enjoys ideal conditions for natural ripening of this tropical fruit.
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