Hass avocado farming is not a new thing in Kenya. Avocados have been growing in Kenya for quite some time now with companies like KAKUZI being the largest avocado producers in Kenya. Avocados originated from Central and South America. Avocado trees have shallow roots that maintain the width of the canopy. Their roots are good at holding the topsoil thus preventing soil erosion. Grafted avocado trees grow very fast, and can start producing fruits after 2-3 years of transplant.
Avocados are now in high demand as the world population increases annually. This demand has also been fueled by people’s desire to live healthy lives and cut down on bad fats.
Avocados also known as the word superfood, have high levels of mono-saturated fat, potassium, fiber, folate, essential vitamins, and minerals. Eating avocados consistently will help in achieving a healthy lifestyle according to health experts.
Avocado business
Just like any other business, avocado farming has its own opportunities and challenges. As the demand for avocados grows, so does the supply.
Many farmers around the world have identified avocado fruit as a profitable venture to dive into. This means that in a couple of years there will be a lot of avocados in the market.
Higher volumes of avocados in the market mean that consumption will go up, but production and supply volumes make the avocado market unpredictable.
Does this mean that the business will collapse? No.
According to the Agricultural Outlook 2021-2030 report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), avocado is expected to become the second-most traded major tropical fruit by 2030, after bananas.
This means that the Avocado is here to stay and Kenyan farmers should get their teeth into this investment opportunity.
We are always told that agriculture is the backbone of Kenya. How does this information help us? Those who have tried their hand at farming know how difficult it is to earn money from farming. It is always unpredictable and unsustainable. Especially if you don’t have water and market access for your product.
That is why the Avocado is a blessing in disguise to many farmers in Kenya. This opportunity comes to us especially when things have become hard and money is scarce.
God created Africa (Kenya) with one of the best climatic conditions in the world that can grow avocadoes without the need to exploit underground water thus making it sustainable. We also have enough sunlight to provide the avocado tree with nutrients to grow.
How much money can I make from Avocado farming?
Hass avocado is the most profitable avocado variety. This is the variety that is currently generating a lot of buzzes. It is delicious, and creamy with a great fat content that keeps you wanting more. It can be harvested up to 3 times a year in Kenya.
You can get up to 100KG per plant if you feed your tree well. As of 2022, the current buying price of 1 KG of Hass avocado for export stands at Ksh 80. If you decide to sell your avocados to local oil processors, then the price will be Ksh 19 per KG.
Alternatively, you can also sell your fruits to the local market and earn 10 Ksh per fruit. A tree can produce up to 600 fruits.
Read this story and get a ground view of how profitable Hass avocado farming is.
