The Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) has announced the closure of the avocado export season for sea shipments for the 2025/2026 fiscal year.
In a notice on Friday, October 10, AFA Director General Bruno Linyiru said the suspension of the sea avocado exports takes effect on Monday, October 20, 2025.
Linyiru said the move is aimed at maintaining the quality of Kenya’s avocado exports and sustaining international markets.
“The Agriculture and Food Authority enforces regulations to ensure quality produce is marketed locally and internationally.
“This guarantees that only mature avocado is harvested, to sustain and grow Kenya’s international markets, minimize crop cycle interruptions occasioned by harvesting immature avocado, resulting in reduction of projected volumes in subsequent harvest seasons,” read the notice in part.
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Linyiru noted that the decision follows a countrywide survey in the major avocado production zones.
According to AFA, the survey revealed that there are insufficient volumes of avocado to warrant sea shipment.
However, the authority said the export of Hass, Fuerte, Pinkerton, and Jumbo varieties will continue by air shipment.
“Export clearance shall be granted subject to inspection by the Directorate. Traceability information will be required for all consignments,” Linyiru stated.
Further, AFA said the avocado harvesting season is equally closed for avocado oil processors and that no permit shall be issued for export of avocado oil processed after closure of the harvesting season.
“The Authority shall continue to closely monitor avocado maturity trends and patterns and review the notice in the second week of January 2026 and guide appropriately,” AFA added.
At the same time, AFA warned mango exporters against mixing mango consignments with avocado during shipment.
The authority mentioned that exporters found mixing mango with avocado risk having their export license revoked.
In October 2024, the authority also suspended avocado exports by sea in order to sustain and grow Kenya’s international markets and minimize interruption of the crop cycle occasioned by harvesting immature fruits.
AFA lifted the suspension in February 2025 after conducting a survey nationwide and found that there were sufficient volumes of avocados for export.
“The opening of Fuerte and Pinkerton harvesting season for sea shipment will commence effective Friday, 14th February 2025. Export clearance for Fuerte and Pinkerton, then, shall be granted subject to packhouse inspection only,” AFA stated.
Kenya is a leading producer of avocado in Africa and among the top six fresh avocado-exporting countries globally.
In 2024, Kenya exported 119,801,078 metric tons of avocado valued at Ksh22.27 billion.
