For such a small country, Belgium has risen to become a major avocado importing country in Western Europe. Bearing in mind that it is highly urbanized, avocados are easily marketable. Around 98% of the population live in cities and towns with a greater number of them concentrated around the capital, Brussels.
Avocado consumption in Belgium has experienced an upsurge in the past few years. This is after retailers started improving familiarity with the fruit to customers. The avocado is now a better known fruit in Belgium and this has made it one of the most bought fruits.
Belgium Avocado Imports
Imported avocados are available in the domestic market for most of the year as there is no avocado production in Belgium. In 2021, Belgium shipped in nearly 26,500 tons of avocado. It is a slight increase of 2% from the previous year.
Over the past decade, avocado imports in Belgium have recorded growth year after year. The highest jump in volume was recorded from 2015 to 2016 at 35%. The peak volume was in the year 2021 at 26,422 tons.
Here is the import volume of avocados in Belgium between 2012 and 2021.
Importing Avocados in Belgium
Here is a step by step guide on how to import avocados in Belgium:
Avocado Supplying Countries to Belgium
Avocados that are re-exported from the Netherlands dominate the import market in Belgium. Kenya has gained in market share. From exporting avocados worth 1,000 US Dollars to reach about 180,000 US Dollars. The Belgian avocado market is made up of a diversity of sources.
The other key avocado exporting countries to Belgium are:
- Spain
- Chile
- Peru
- Germany
- France
It also imports avocado in small volumes from countries like:
- The United Kingdom (UK)
- Colombia
- Mexico
Belgium brings avocado from abroad through its main airport. Avocados get into the country as air freight by way of the Brussels Airport. The airport has a cargo terminal and cold storage rooms to keep avocados fresh as they were when harvested.
The other way avocados enter Belgium is through its main commercial sea port. Avocados get into the country as sea freight by way of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. The sea port has a modern container terminal.
How to Know Reliable Avocado Suppliers in Belgium
Avocado importers in Belgium must present the following documents for their shipment to be released by the customs office:
- Import permit
- Commercial invoice
- Packing list
- Bill of Lading or Airway Bill
- Phytosanitary Certificate
- Certificate of Origin
Sourcing Avocados from Kenya
Here are some advantages Kenya has in supplying avocados to Belgium:
- It has a longer season that lasts from February to October.
- Production costs are low therefore avocados from Kenya are competitively priced.
- Most of Kenya is covered by a sub-tropical climate which ensures consistency of quality and supply.
Average Transit Time of Importing Avocados in Belgium
| COUNTRY | AIR FREIGHT | SEA FREIGHT |
| Kenya | 8 hours 40 minutes | 29 days |
| Chile | 15 hours 15 minutes | 35 days |
| Peru | 13 hours 13 minutes | 34 days |
Here is a top avocado exporter in Kenya.
Freshela Exporters
Freshela is a Kenyan based company that engages in the sourcing, processing and exporting of avocados and other fresh produce.
Freshela is a proud exporter of Kenyan avocados. We source avocados from our company farm and partner farms.
We give competitive pricing to our customers and guarantee reliable delivery time.
We use a modern grading machine to achieve desired avocado weight. The fruit is also graded to eliminate any with physical quality defects.
We pack avocado fruit for both air and sea freights. All of our avocado packing is approved by FDA and is certified by HACCP Quality Assurance.