Westfalia Fruit celebrates arrival of first seafreighted Kenyan avocados in India

Westfalia Fruit has announced that the first-ever sea-freighted consignment of Kenyan avocados has arrived in India, marking another major milestone for the company’s development of that market.

Business development executive Zac Bard said: “Building on the long-standing relationship Westfalia have with the largest Kenyan avocado grower and exporter, we are very proud to bring the first sea shipment of Kenyan avocados to India”.

Westfalia Fruit India has established itself as the market leader and largest importer of avocados in India over the last couple of years. As well as handling over 60 per cent of Tanzanian avocado imports into India, the company also introduced Australian grown avocados to the local market, importing over 85 per cent of all Australian avocados into India in the first quarter this year.

With the arrival of Kenyan avocados and the recent market access confirmation for South African avocados into India, Westfalia said it has steady volumes of consistent quality avocados lined up for this year.

The Indian market for imported avocados has grown by 100 per cent year-on-year for the last two years, and the first quarter of 2024 also points to doubling of avocado imports from approximately 4,000 tonnes in 2023 to 8,000 tonnes in 2024.

Westfalia avocados are widely distributed across the country through its national distributors – NGK Trading and Samberry Exotics, working closely with all major national retailers and wholesalers in large metros and smaller Tier-1&2 cities.

Earlier this week, Westfalia hosted a trade launch in the southern state of Kerala to strengthen its presence in a key market, which has the highest per capita consumption of the locally grown green skin avocados. Westfalia avocados will now be widely available across the country serving the ever-growing appetite for good Hass avocados in India.

“East Africa will continue to be a key region for fulfilling Indian avocado demand with its long extended season between different growing regions and Tanzania with its duty benefits into India will play an important role,” Bard said.

“With new market access granted for Australia and South Africa, it will provide us an opportunity to extend the season all year round and also supplement the East African volumes as the demand for good Hass avocados grow in India.

“In particular, the South African market access into India, which opened up late last month will provide us the ability to extend late into the season and introduce exclusive cultivars like Gem.”

Ajay TG, general manager of Westfalia Fruit India, commented: “Early immature avocados imported by some importers had a negative effect on the avocado consumption earlier this year. The Indian market – both wholesalers and retailers – now clearly differentiate between Westfalia Fruit and other importers bringing in immature fruit to fill the gaps in the early season.

“This is a healthy sign of the industry maturing and we see that consistent supply of good quality avocados will continue to build the demand and consumption in India.”

Commercial harvests of Indian Hass avocado planted by Westfalia Fruit and its grower partners will also commence later this year adding to the supply calendar of imported fruit.