By URN
For the first time, Uganda has exported its biggest Hass avocado consignment to the European market. The high-value crop, which has mainly been exported as crude oil after value addition, has also seen some smaller consignments shipped as whole fruit by plane. Whole fruit sales yield three times more revenue than value-added products. This shipment, valued at over 147 million Shillings (USD 40,000), is being sent to Spain by Avotein Company.
Hass avocado is among the high-value crops promoted by the government of Uganda for the socio-economic transformation of ordinary Ugandans. However, its promotion has often been hindered by questions regarding market availability. Advocates of the crop now point to this shipment as evidence that the market is readily available; Ugandans simply need to grow the crop. This marks the first container out of 32 agreed to be shipped within one year under the new deal.
While flagging off the shipment on behalf of the Minister for Agriculture, Agnes Auma, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, described the milestone as a significant achievement in the Hass avocado value chain that is worth celebrating nationally. She assured buyers of Uganda’s commitment to producing organic agricultural products, emphasizing that this is the country’s competitive advantage over other producers and should always be prioritized.
Auma further highlighted that as demand for the crop continues to grow, as evidenced by the orders secured in this deal, Ugandans should take more interest in Hass avocado farming.
She noted that Uganda is naturally endowed with favorable weather and soils, making it ideal for avocado production. “This is another green gold that we have, and with it, we can achieve the tenfold economic growth that the government is focusing on in NDP IV. The rationalization of government agencies is aimed at increasing productivity rather than consumption,” Auma said.
Samuel Mugabi, the Executive Director of the National Agricultural Advisory Service (NAADS), pointed out that although Uganda’s Hass avocado production is still low, much of the crop is siphoned off to neighboring countries and exported under their flags. This practice, he said, has now changed. “Thank you so much to the nucleus and last-mile farmers who toil day and night to produce these fruits because these are the results of their sweat. Let me assure you that finally, the market is here, and we will help you access it,” Mugabi said.
ani Dahlan, CEO of Avotein Company, revealed that under the agreement with a Spanish company, Uganda is required to supply 32 containers of Hass avocado fruit over the next year, with one container shipped every two weeks. “The seal has been broken; Uganda has done it, and it can continue doing it. Let us join hands and achieve more,” Dahlan stated.
He added that the shipment was made possible by mobilizing fruit from various farmers, as no single farm could produce enough to fill the container. The entire process was carried out in partnership with Balaji Company, which provided a state-of-the-art pack house for proper packaging.
Uganda’s annual Hass avocado production is estimated at 4,656,155 kilograms (23,280,775 fruits) and has been increasing over the years. In 2021, the country exported avocados and byproducts worth 7 billion Shillings. Currently, the total land under Hass avocado cultivation is about 7,100 acres. The government aims to expand this to 5 million acres within the next five years.
