The value of Kenya’s fruit exports increased by about 27 percent in 2024, mainly due to soaring avocado shipments and steady contributions from bananas and mangoes.
Traders exported fruits worth Sh41 billion in the period under review, according to data by the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), marking a jump of Sh8.7 billion, compared to the Sh32.3 billion earned in 2023.
Export volumes also increased significantly by 37,313 tonnes, rising from 188,101 tonnes in 2023 to 225,414 tonnes in 2024, with Hass avocados accounting for the lion’s share of the increase.
The Hass avocado is the most common commercial variety, named after its cultivator, Rudolph Hass, who was an amateur American horticulturalist.
“There was a substantial increase in value by Sh8.7 billion, from Sh32.3 billion in 2023 to Sh41 billion realised in 2024, attributed to a significant increase in quantities of fresh Hass avocado,” AFA noted.
Avocado output rose by 34 percent, from 632,953 tonnes in 2023 to 848,122 tonnes in 2024, reflecting both the expansion of farming into non-traditional areas and sustained global demand.
Kenya’s avocado exports primarily went to the European Union, which remains the largest market, followed by the Middle East and China, where shipments have grown steadily since the market opened in 2022.
These destinations absorbed much of the record output, with Kiambu, Murang’a, Nakuru, and Kisii counties standing out as the top producers fuelling both domestic and export supply.
Banana domination
Although avocados accounted for the majority of exports, bananas dominated in terms of overall value, accounting for 31.2 percent of the sector’s total.
Production rose from 1.88 million tonnes in 2023 to 1.99 million tonnes in 2024, though earnings declined to Sh32.1 billion from Sh35.9 billion the previous year.
Oversupply in local markets pushed prices down, offsetting the volume gains.
Bananas remain a key domestic staple, with Meru, Kisii and Kirinyaga counties dominating production and feeding urban centres such as Nairobi.
Mango consistency
Mango production remained consistent at 749,560 tonnes in 2024, only slightly above the 736,663 tonnes produced in 2023.
However, the value dropped from Sh16.5 billion to Sh14.1 billion, weighed down by post-harvest losses and fruit fly infestations.
Despite being Kenya’s third most valuable fruit, accounting for 13.6 percent, mangoes underperformed in export markets, with the bulk of production consumed locally.
Leading producers —Makueni, Machakos, Kitui and Kilifi —continue to face challenges of inadequate cold-chain infrastructure and limited market access abroad.
Pineapple recovery
Pineapples demonstrated a strong recovery with output more than doubling from 94,720 tonnes in 2023 to 195,959 tonnes in 2024. Their value also nearly doubled, rising from Sh2.9 billion to Sh5.7 billion.
This turnaround was driven by improved yields and favourable weather conditions, reaffirming the pineapple’s status as a reliable source of fruit for both consumption and processing.
In contrast, orange production suffered from setbacks linked to weather and disease outbreaks. Volumes fell from 171,505 tonnes in 2023 to 131,348 tonnes in 2024, with value slipping to Sh4.4 billion from Sh5.9 billion.
Fruit supply
In the domestic market, the distribution pathway for fresh fruit primarily originates from rural production zones and progresses through wholesale and retail markets located within urban centres.
“These markets serve as aggregation points before the produce is further distributed to various consumer outlets, including supermarkets, open-air markets, street vendors, kiosks, hotels, and other commercial establishments. Kenya’s main urban centres play a critical role as primary destinations for domestically marketed fresh fruit produce,” the regulator said.
The area under fruit cultivation increased by 3.8 percent, rising from 233,695 hectares in 2023 to 242,578 hectares in 2024. Total fruit volumes increased by 7.6 percent, though the sector’s overall value dipped marginally from Sh103.16 billion to Sh103.06 billion.
