The Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) has announced that Kenya will suspend avocado exports via sea from October 20, 2025, marking the end of the 2025/2026 harvesting season for sea shipments. The move, according to AFA, aims to protect the quality of Kenyan avocados and sustain the country’s strong position in global markets.
In a notice signed by Director General Bruno Linyiru, the authority emphasized that only mature avocados should be harvested to maintain Kenya’s reputation for high-quality produce. Linyiru explained that recent national surveys showed that the available crop volumes were too low to justify continued sea export.
“This is to notify you that the closing of the harvesting season for sea shipment for the 2025/2026 fiscal year will come into force from Monday, October 20, 2025,” the notice stated.
Despite the suspension, air shipment of specific avocado varieties including Hass, Fuerte, Pinkerton, and Jumbo will still be permitted. However, exporters must undergo inspection and provide full traceability details before clearance is granted.
Additionally, AFA has closed the avocado harvesting season for processors of avocado oil, noting that export permits will only be issued for oil processed before the closure date. Processors with existing oil stocks must seek inspection and clearance from the compliance office before exporting.
The authority also issued a stern warning to mango exporters, cautioning them against mixing mango consignments with avocado shipments, a practice that violates Section 20(5) of the Crops (Horticultural Crops) Regulations, 2020.
Kenya remains one of Africa’s top avocado exporters, earning billions in foreign exchange annually. However, experts have cautioned that premature harvesting of avocados could harm the country’s global reputation and lead to significant economic losses if left unchecked.
AFA said it will issue a new advisory in January 2026 after reassessing avocado maturity patterns across the country’s key producing zones.
