This archive report was first published on 24 October 2019.
On October 24, 2019, a deal between Kenya and China to export frozen avocados to China was still struggling to take off, six months after it was signed.
The deal, agreed upon in April 2019 between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, allowed Kenya to export frozen avocado to China to tame pests common with Kenyan fruits.
However, only one firm out of over 100 has met the requirements laid down by China for export of avocados to the Asian country.
The Chinese government has set strict conditions for the export of avocados, including freezing the fruits to negative 30 degrees after peeling off the skin and chilling further to negative 18 while on transit.
According to the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis), which is overseeing the export of avocados, the conditions set by China might limit small-scale holders from accessing the market.
"The Ministry of Trade has opened negotiations with China over the matter and we expect a positive response," said Ojepati Okesegere, chief executive officer of Fresh Producers Consortium of Kenya.
