The avocado is without a doubt one of the most awesome foods available. It is simple yet satisfying with a smooth, great taste. Any manner of avocado is the perfect food for a healthy diet because it is highly nutritious.
Due to high global demand, the avocado has become a lucrative export product. Kenya has greatly increased its avocado production to become among the top 10 global avocado producers. Kenya is also the top avocado exporter in Africa.
There are many varieties of avocados grown in Kenya for subsistence use, local market or export market. But Kenya mainly produces and exports two varieties of avocados which are Hass and Fuerte.
Fuerte Avocado Farming in Kenya
For decades, Kenya has been well known for exports of tea, coffee and flowers. But in recent years, avocado has risen the ranks to become the leading fruit export from Kenya. Farmers are planting avocado to satisfy the huge demand for Kenya avocados and cash in on the high returns.
The Fuerte avocado is an older variety in Kenya and is often seen as the standard avocado. Avocado farmers in Kenya usually plant Fuerte and Hass together for cross-pollination which helps in formation of better quality fruits. The Fuerte season in Kenya starts in January and ends in July.
Description of Fuerte Avocado
- It has green skin that remains green even when ripe.
- It has a smooth, medium thin skin that is easy to peel.
- It is pear-shaped
- It has a medium size seed
- It is a medium to large fruit (140g–392g)
- It has a thick, pale green flesh
- It has good oil content (18%)
- It has a rich, creamy texture with a nutty flavor
Fuerte Avocado Tree
- It is a large tree (up to 10m) with a wide spreading canopy
- It is cold tolerant as it is able to withstand low temperatures without much damage.
Fuerte Avocado Leaves
The leaves of a Fuerte avocado tree have a strong aromatic smell when crushed.
Fuerte avocados do well under the following conditions:
- Optimum temperatures range from 20°C-30°C
- Well-distributed rainfall throughout the year. They can also be grown under irrigation.
- Deep, well-drained fertile soils with a pH ranging from 5-7.
- Abundant sunshine for optimum growth and to bear fruit.
Fuerte Avocado Tree Spacing
The standard spacing of Fuerte avocado in Kenya is 5m by 5m from one tree to another. With this spacing, 150 trees can be planted on one acre. The planting hole should be 2ft by 2ft by 2ft.
Fuerte Avocado Yield per Tree
Fuerte avocado trees mature and start fruiting after three to five years. After the fifth year, with proper management, one Fuerte tree can yield 500-1000 fruits per year.
Fuerte Avocado Yield per Acre
One acre has 150 Fuerte trees planted. One Fuerte tree yields 500-1000 fruits therefore one acre can yield 75,000-150,000 fruits per year.
Fuerte Avocado Growing Areas in Kenya
Here are some of the growing zones for Fuerte avocado in Kenya:
- Kisii
- Nyamira
- Meru
- Embu
- Parts of Siaya
- Parts of Western Kenya
Fuerte Avocado Export Price
Currently, Kenya is one of the few countries still exporting the Fuerte variety to other nations. Fuerte avocados are sold in the export market at an average price of US4 dollars-US5 dollars per 4kg carton.
Fuerte Avocado Market
The demand for Fuerte avocado is quite high in the export market. In the Middle East, especially in Qatar, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, the demand for Kenyan Fuerte avocados has increased by around 80%. Italy, France and countries in Eastern Europe are the other large market shares for Fuerte avocados from Kenya.