Tanzania will now begin exporting avocados to India, as previously about 80% of avocados were consumed locally. Smallholder farmers in the northern Kilimanjaro ad southern highlands region are reported to be the ones who will benefit the most from strengthening bilateral ties between Tanzania and India.
Due to fears that avocados imported from Africa might be contaminated with hazardous parasites, India issued an import prohibition on them in 2003. Following lengthy negotiations, India’s health authorities have now approved the entry of the highly nutritious fruit from Tanzania, according to agriculture deputy minister Anthony Mavunde.
Tanzania’s current avocado export destinations are China, the United States and South Africa, which has only recently opened its market to Tanzanian avocados. It together amount for a market worth over $1 billion yearly.
The avocado export relationship between India and Tanzania was announced in December of 2021. Following extensive talks, Tanzania’s government last year announced that India’s health officials had approved the export of the fruit, which is commonly eaten as a spread on toast.
Avocados are appreciated for their great nutritional value, as they contain more protein than any other fruit, as well as fiber, potassium and vitamins, and are a cholesterol-free source of plant-based fat.
According to Tanzania Invest, the country has the capacity to provide avocados to the worldwide market for nine months of the calendar year due to its large production potential in various agro-ecological zones.
The fruits, which are predominantly grown in the northern Kilimanjaro region, as well as the southern highlands’ Iringa, Mbeya and Njombe regions, need at least three years to achieve economic ripeness.
