In Kenya, the most topical buzzword in agriculture is increasingly the “value” of hass avocado farming. Quite rightly, we are seeing an upsurge in the number of farmers planting hass avocado trees out of a desire to improve their incomes. However, the critical question remains: are we as Kenya and Kenyan farmers exploiting our true market potential for hass avocados?

Avocado production is not new to Kenya, with the first commercial plantings established many decades ago. More recently various large-scale players are getting involved. However, in the last five years, there has been a significant increase in the production of Hass avocados from smallholder farmers, which together with production from larger farms has made Kenya’s volumes grow significantly, positioning us as the eighth largest exporter in the world.

As Kenyan and worldwide production levels increase, we need to grow Kenyan’s market access. Reports indicate that by 2030 half of the world’s fresh produce will be consumed in Asia. Access for conventional fruits into these markets is essential.

Hass Avocado Seedlings

Why Kenya Hass Avocados?

So what makes someone want to buy Kenyan fruit? This is the crucial question, and the answer lies in our Quality, Traceability and Sustainability protocols.

The world’s consumers are demanding more of us as farmers, without necessarily respecting that commodity prices must also be sustainable. That perhaps is another debate. At the end of the day, we need to sell our fruit.

The market is measuring us on pesticide residues, water sustainability, soil preservation, food miles and numerous other indices. We have to be able to demonstrate compliance for two reasons. First, simple economics. Second, and perhaps more importantly, it is the right thing to do. We have a responsibility to future generations to leave the soil, water and environment in a better shape than we found it and to develop economic sustainability through a thriving avocado industry built on Quality, Traceability and Sustainability.

Quality Hass Avocado

Customer requirements for quality may seem easy, but they are stringent and unforgiving. No consumer wants to buy fruit that never ripens or cut into one and find it rotten inside.

To deliver quality products to the market, we must ensure proper crop husbandry, including fertiliser and related inputs being applied at the right stage. Harvesting, too, must be at the correct maturity level, and the correct post-harvest and cold chain management protocols adhered to, to the letter.

READ ALSO:   Boost for dairy farmers as new KCC plan to stabilise prices of milk

Sounds simple right? Like all things, it never is. If we are to do this better, we must invest further in our extension services, training, technology transfer, and strengthen our regulatory authorities.

The market isn’t helping. A shortage of hass avocados in Europe will send agents clamouring for their phones, demanding ‘any available’ fruit. In the hope of making a quick buck, brokers dash to farmers’ fields to harvest anything that looks like an avocado, regardless of whether it is mature or not. Some money may be made but at what cost to our nation’s reputation?

Unfortunately, the reputation of Kenya for hass avocados is not good. If demand for our fruit is to match the increased production levels, we will have to improve our reputation as a quality producer. Failing to do that could mean that Kenya remains the cheap ‘last resort’ when nothing else is available – a market space that others will quickly take from us.

Traceability of Hass Avocado

In a nutshell, this is the ability to trace the fruit from ‘field to fork’. We must be able to trace a carton of fruit back to the grower who produced it and, more importantly, have confidence that the grower meets all food safety demands, social accreditation standards and phytosanitary requirements.

So how do we achieve traceability? One answer is developing organised and well-managed farmer groups comprising all hass avocado farmers within a specific and reasonably localised area. We should, however, ensure that whilst farmers are provided with skills to grow the crop correctly through these groups, payments should be made to each farmer directly from the exporter, not through an intermediary.

Creating and strengthening farmer groups is key, as is access to the correct agrochemicals and proper training, with sensible, strict and uniformly applied standards.

Who is going to do this? Exporters and their development partners must play their part in this journey, as ultimately building Kenya’s reputation for quality is good for the nation and good for business. We can’t just be advising farmers to grow more fruit if we don’t have a clear strategy on where and to whom we are going to sell the product, and without traceability, markets become limited.

READ ALSO:   How Mulching Enhances Sustainable Macadamia Farming in Kenya

Sustainability and social value

The final part of the story, but by no means the least, is sustainability. As a country, we are acutely aware of climate change; we live with its effects daily, not just in our agricultural sector but also in the havoc it plays on our homes, roads and sanitation.

But is sustainability all about climate change? Perhaps ultimately, it all comes down to the same thing: protecting our planet for future generations. Indirectly, therefore, how we grow our fruit is essential.

Key customers are also quite right in demanding that the fruit is produced in a manner that respects all the correct social values. We as producers must be seen to be upholding those values in the way we employ people and interact with the communities that we operate in. By embracing the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, we can demonstrate to all that our customers’ values are embedded within our operations.

Credit: FruitNet

 

Hass Avocado Seedlings: +254 724559286
Hass Avocado Seedlings: +254 724559286
==
FARMERS TREND FRUIT SEEDLINGS SERVICES

We provide technical support on fruit farming in Kenya. Our Sales Team with technically qualified staff provide after sales service and farmers' advisory services to our customers to get better plant establishment and faster growth of fruit orchard and plantations.

We have a large network of employees who arrange delivery of seedlings to customers at their various destinations from Nairobi. Free technical services to customers on planting method, management practices and plant protection measures. Our team of Agricultural Experts periodically visits and supervise plantations and suggest necessary guidelines to get better growth and higher returns.

The income & expenditure projections indicated by Farmers Trend is normally an approximate figure, as it also depends on the nature and hard work of the farmer.

FRUIT FARMING PACKAGE
1. This includes soil testing, seedlings purchase guidance, consultancy, farm preparation guidance and transportation.
2. First production on most fruit trees start after 2nd year and production remains for next several years.

WHAT THE PACKAGE CONSISTS
1. We offer special tailored packages per acre on Hass Avocado, Grafted Macadamia, Oranges, Mangoes and Apples
2. This packages consist of a well drafted win win situation between the farmer and Farmers Trend
3. Where a farmer provides a) Land b) Preparation of land, c) Soil Analysis d) Manure and any other recommendation as per soil analysis e) Irrigation
4. And, Farmers Trend provide a) Hole digging using recommended spacing b) Soil and manure mixing plus refilling c) Seedlings enough for an acre as recommended d) 3 months monitoring 
5) Each fruit package has its own cost depending on site survey

GIVE US A CALL TO ENJOY THIS BENNEFITS VIA 0724-559286 OR 0754-452939
READ ALSO:   Understanding Red Gram Aphids: Aphis craccivora and Its Damage Traits

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating / 5. Vote count:

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

As you found this post useful...

Follow us on social media!