In 2014 the quantity of avocados produced in Tanzania was estimated at just 2,500 tons per annum. But as of 2021 the Ministry of Agriculture estimates that the production of the cash crop has surpassed 40,000 tons.
The Ministry of Agriculture expects a growth of 20 percent every year to reach 143,000 tons of Avocados annually by 2026. Experts attributes the exponential growth of the sub-sector to improved business climate, the better quality of avocados from Tanzania compared to other countries. Another factor for the positive development is the improved awareness to farmers on benefits of commercial avocado farming. Furthermore avocado farming has drawn a good number of the working class populations from urban areas, which, in turn, has attracted more investors to venture into processing of the cash crop.
Recently, a new avocado investment project was registered at the Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) by Avoafrica Tanzania Limited to process and package the βgreen goldβ and export to the global markets.
AvoAfrica Tanzania Limited, who are part of Keitt Exporters Limited of Kenya, have set-up a factory at Makambako, Njombe region and have started exporting the processed cash crop.
βWe were very much impressed by President Samiaβs (Suluhu Hassan) speech when she visited Kenya earlier last year (2021) thatβs why we decided to move from just buying to investing in processing,β said Mr Asif Amin Muhammad, who is one of Avoafricaβs directors.
According to Mr Muhammad Avoafrica will buy, process, package and export avocados directly to the international markets as βMade in Tanzaniaβ products to help rebrand the countryβs most sought after fruit.
The General Manager of Avoafrica, in charge of Operations in Tanzania Mr Nagib Karmali says there has been a huge demand of avocados from Tanzania because they are of the best quality.
βIf you ask me where the best avocados in the world come from, I will tell you it comes from Tanzania. It is perfect in everything; from the ideal dry matter, good fat content, shape, look, and long shelf life,β says Mr Karmali. He added that Tanzaniaβs fertile soil makes it ideal to grow avocados, the worldβs most nutritious fruit.
Since they registered their project with TIC in 2021, Avoafrica have enjoyed incentives on Capital Goods for installation of their factory at Makambako.
In Tanzania avocados are mostly grown in Iringa, Njombe, Mbeya, Songwe, Ruvuma, Arusha, Tanga, Manyara, Kagera and Kilimanjaro regions by over 10,000 smallholders at an altitude of 1,800 metres above the sea level.