In the central Kenyan county of Murang'a, many coffee farmers have embraced avocado with gusto, due to the promise of higher returns yet tending to the crop is not capital or labor-intensive. Avocados now account for half of the country's fruit exports annually, with most of the produce absorbed by Europe and the Middle East. Data from the Horticultural Crops Directorate indicates that Kenya exported 72,000 tons of avocados last year, up from 59,000 tons recorded the previous year, and is among the top five global producers of the fruit. It generated about 139 million dollars last year for the country.
Benjamin Tito, director, Horticultural Crops Directorate attributed the increased production of avocado to the favorable returns received by farmers, especially from overseas markets. The fruit is being embraced by farmers outside the traditional growing zones in the central and rift valley region.
Source: globaltimes.cn