TPA targets increase in avocado exports

Mbeya. Tanzania Port Authority (TPA) is raising awareness for avocado farmers to efficiently use the Dar es Salaam Port for export to European countries.

A report from the Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA) shows that the country’s avocado export reached 11,237 tonnes which is equivalent to 510 containers in 2021.

The export enabled the Tanzania to generate Sh75.9 billion ($33 million).

Yesterday, the TPA operations officer, Mr Denis Mapunda, said the authority has started raising farmers’ awareness on the role of the Dar es Salaam Port in the product transportation to potential international customers.

Mr Mapunda was speaking during the ongoing Farmers exhibitions at the John Mwakangale Grounds located in Mbeya Region.

“Most avocado growers use the Mombasa Port for avocado transportation. In order to reverse the trend, we are using the exhibitions to raise awareness so that farmers start using the Dar es Salaam Port,” he said during the exhibitions themed: 10/30 agenda: Agriculture is business.

He said TPA has established a customers’ call centre that brings them closer to port clients, noting that the platform will enable farmers to easily get access and assistance from experts.

Report from the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) shows that Tanzania exported 7,551 tonnes of avocado in 2018 worth $8.5 million to Africa, Europe and Asia.

TAHA projects that Tanzania will export 15,000 tonnes of the produce reaching 2023, that would attract $45 million which is equivalent to Sh103.5 billion.

The Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC’s) booklet on avocado value chain investment opportunities says that the crop is increasingly becoming Tanzania’s green gold, with TAHA statistics showing that the country produces an average of 7,000 tonnes annually.

The booklet shows that the crop’s commercial production or export is dominated by Rungwe Avocado Company Ltd and Siha District, Kilimanjaro Region based company, Africado Ltd.

“The two companies jointly produce more than 5,000 Tons per year,” according to TIC.

According to TIC, worldwide avocados exports by country totalled $5.7 billion in 2018 which reflects to 86.4 percent the increase over the five-year period starting in 2014.

Furthermore, TIC says the value of exported avocados slowed by -4.5 percent from 2017 to 2018.

TIC says among continents, North American countries generated the strongest international sales for avocados in 2018 with shipments valued at $2.6 billion which is equivalent to 44.9 percent of the worldwide total.

“In the second place were European exporters at 25.8 percent, while the 20.7 percent of globally shipped avocados originated from Latin America excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean,” reads the TIC booklet.