The horticulture directorate has suspended two companies on allegations of shipping immature avocados to overseas markets in a violation of set rules that threaten the sale of the fruit.
Real Fresh Exporters Limited and Kandia Fresh Produce’s licenses were suspended by the regulator in late March as the government moves to protect the avocado market that risks being blacklisted for supplying low-quality fruits.
Agriculture Principal Secretary Harsama Kello said the due was involved in the export of immature avocados.
“We are aware of companies exporting sub-standard fruits and we are taking action. Recently I cancelled two import licenses for two companies exporting immature avocados. I visited pack houses involved in the illegal business in Embakasi,” said Mr Kello.
Last week, Kenyans abroad took to social media to complain about the poor quality of Kenyan avocados in Europe, catching the eye of the Ministry of Agriculture, which responded by saying that it was aware of the matter and was taking action.
Already, the PS said, he has restructured the leadership of the Horticulture Directorate, which now has a new head with more changes expected in the coming days.
The Horticulture Directorate says the police are conducting investigations on the two firms before further action is taken in regard to the status of their licenses.
The exporters’ lobby, has, however, raised concerns about how the two firms were handled in the revocation of their licenses.
“The government needs to dig deeper on the issue because these firms did not harvest the immature avocado by themselves,” said Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya chief executive officer Ojepat Okisegere.
According to the regulator, avocados should be harvested when they reach maturity, which is determined by a minimum dry matter standard of 24 percent.
The directorate opened the avocado export window in the last week of March having closed it in November last year to curb the harvesting of young fruit.
Kakuzi Limited has announced that it will not be harvesting its avocados now despite the fact that the export market has been opened.
The listed firm said Hass avocado harvests and exports to China and European markets will only commence mid-next month as part of a quality assurance commitment, the firm has confirmed.
