There are various seasons for the different kind of avocado varieties in Uganda, says Kamwaka Bogere Amonie, sales manager of fresh produce exporter Damex Uganda Ltd: "The Ugandan Hass avocado season is in the first rainy season, from February to June, and in the second rainy season, from July to December. The Fuerte variety is usually ready for picking as early as February. However, smaller volumes are picked between December and January, depending on the production region. The Jumbo variety is harvested thought the year."
According to Amonie, the production of avocados in Uganda is increasing, thanks to several factors. "In Uganda, every season we see an increase in the production of avocados, as new farmers are coming up in every season. The weather also plays a part in this increase, as the more increase in rains we see, the more the production increases as well. We mainly ship our avocados to the United Kingdom, Germany and Netherlands. We also used to ship to the Middle-East, mainly in the UAE, but we didn't like doing business in this region. The demand has been slow so far. Maybe it's due to the beginning of the year, what drive the demand is the exporters and avocado oil factories."
Amonie emphasizes that it's hard work, as not all fruit is of equal quality due to inconsistent farming practices: "The Ugandan avocado industry does deal with a couple of challenges. For one, there can be poor quality control, due to inconsistent farming practices, inadequate cold chain logistics, long transit times, lack of market access and information, pest and disease issues, and limited knowledge about international standards. There are also logistical issues, high export costs, and competition from regional players. But naturally, dealing with people you trust can mitigate some of these challenges."
The price for Ugandan avocados is directly tied to the availability of avocados in other countries. "Our price is determined by the low harvest from big supplying countries, such as South Africa, Tanzania, Israel, Peru and Mexico. If they face issues, like droughts, then our prices automatically go up, as demand increases. For this season, it's hard to predict what will happen, but we are facing with a large drought," Amonie concludes.
For more information:
Kamwaka Bogere Amonie
Damex Uganda Ltd.
Tel: +256 77 636 6555
Email: sales@damexug.com
www.damexug.com