New market for Kenya’s avocado in South Korea

By Samuel Ouma

Kenya will start exporting avocados to South Korea effective March 2022, announced Kenya Health Plant Health Inspectorate Service managing director  Theophilus Mutui.

Mr. Theophilus Mutui said last week a delegation from Kenya led by the Trade and Enterprise Development CS Betty Maina held discussions with their South Korean counterpart during the Coffee Expo in the Asian country.

"In the meeting, it was agreed that we are going to fast track the issue for pest risk analyses for avocados, and possibly by February-March next year, Kenya will be able to export avocados to South Korea.

“As you are aware, the European Union is our major market for flowers, fruits, vegetables and herbs. Currently, we are working to open up other markets for our produce. Just recently, we were in South Korea where we discussed about enhancing exports of our produce to the Asian nation. This includes crops such as avocado," said Mr. Mutui.

Apart from avocados, Kenya will also export pineapples, dried pepper, and sim sim to South Korea said Mutui. This will be in addition to coffee, copper paste, tobacco, apparel and clothing accessories, cut flowers, broccoli, and unripe bananas.

Mutui was speaking during a journalists' awareness workshop programme organized by the Market Access Upgrade Program Kenya.

 The $ 4 million Market Access Upgrade Kenya programme seeks to support counties to improve market access of agro-food products to the EU and regional and local markets.

It is supported by the European Union and implemented by United Nations Industrial Development Organisation in partnership with the Kenyan government, county governments, and private sector.