Avocado farmers delivering their harvest at Mulot, Narok West. Few things have been as exciting in agricultural circles as the scramble for growth of Hass avocado in Kenya.
Preferred in Europe where Kenya exports it, Hass avocado might as well be the new gold.
So much so that even the Kenya Prisons started an ambitious agricultural plan to boost the production of avocado with an eye on the export market by multiplying and distributing seedlings to agricultural communities.
On target is the Hass variety which is exclusively for export market and whose prices in the international market are higher compared to most fruits.
It has been presented as the panacea to many a Kenyan farmer’s problem, with markets promised. There has been a need to feed the Americas, with Canada a big consumer of the fruit, and with Mexico exporting a lot into Canada.
And Kenyan farmers jumped on the bandwagon.
At the local mama mboga, a piece will set you back Sh10, or Sh20, depending on the size. Also seasons, where when there is an oversupply, the prices could hit Sh5 for an avocado.
Patrick Kariri, the Director of Prison Farms said the institution had earmarked 18 flagship rehabilitation centres across the country that would be involved in spearheading the campaign as well as production of agricultural products.
Headache of brokers
“Of the 133 prisons across the country, we have set aside 80 whose main involvement is purely in agricultural production. And of the 80, we have set up 18 rehabilitation centres to be centres of excellence in promoting the Government’s Big Four Agenda of attaining total food security,” Kariri said when launching project.
But for people like John Maingi, the director of Food Africa, they have raked in some good money by exporting avocado to Norway, Dubai, Bahrain,Hong Kong.“But European market is the best as prices are good and they pay without difficulty,” Maingi said.Some of the challenges they have faced include delayed payments or non-payment. They have also had problems with change in prices due to brokers who control most farmers.“But we are developing our own farms and contracting our own farmers,” he said.When you are just starting, you have to share packing facilities which you will have to go through before you set up your own. This is also a big challenges to them“Another challenge is the high amounts of cash required to establish cold storage facilities like temporary grading sheds, charcoal coolers, […]
