Market-entry guide
Kenyan Hass avocados to China: the GACC requirements checklist for exporters and importers
Published and sources reviewed: · SeedMatch Group editorial team
Short answer
Yes, under conditions. GACC Announcement 2022 No. 47, effective 1 June 2022, permits fresh Hass avocados from Kenya's avocado-producing areas. Orchards, packhouses and treatment facilities must be recorded by KEPHIS and registered by GACC; fruit is fumigated with methyl bromide under KEPHIS supervision, inspected before export, and shipped with a phytosanitary certificate carrying the protocol's additional declaration.
- Hass only. Other varieties are not covered by the announcement.
- Registration is seasonal: KEPHIS provides the registered list to GACC before each export season.
- Treatment: methyl bromide at 32 g/m³ for at least 2 hours at 21.1 °C or above.
- Kenya's Agriculture and Food Authority sets the national harvest opening; in 2026, harvesting for sea export opened on 2 April.
This checklist summarises GACC Announcement 2022 No. 47 and Kenyan notices as of 26 October 2026. It is not legal or customs advice; the announcement text governs. SeedMatch Group is a commercial coordinator, not a regulator, exporter or certifier, and has no endorsement from GACC, KEPHIS or AFA. Exporters and importers remain responsible for compliance.
What is confirmed and what to check
Status as of 26 October 2026.
| Item | Status | What the source shows |
|---|---|---|
| Market access for Kenyan fresh Hass avocados | Officially confirmed (cited source) | GACC Announcement 2022 No. 47, dated and effective 1 June 2022; Kenya is on GACC's permitted-fruit list for avocado. |
| Methyl bromide fumigation before export | Officially confirmed (cited source) | At 21.1 °C or above, 32 g/m³, for at least 2 hours, under KEPHIS supervision. |
| Phytosanitary certificate declaration | Officially confirmed (cited source) | KEPHIS states the container and seal numbers and that the consignment complies with the Kenya–China avocado protocol and is free from quarantine pests of concern to China. |
| Registered orchards, packhouses and treatment facilities | Additional approval or registration indicated | Recorded by KEPHIS and registered by GACC; the list is provided before each export season. |
| Kenya's 2026 export season | Officially confirmed (cited source) | AFA opened harvesting for sea export from 2 April 2026, with packhouse inspection from 7 April 2026 (Kenya News Agency, 28 March 2026). |
| Current registered list and shipment volumes | Needs verification | Not reviewed. Ask the exporter for registration codes and check GACC's current list. |
Requirements at a glance (GACC Announcement 2022 No. 47)
- Product
- Fresh avocado (Persea americana Mill.), Hass variety only
- Production area
- Kenya's avocado-producing areas
- Pests of concern
- Nine, including Mediterranean fruit fly, African mango fruit fly, Natal fruit fly, false codling moth and avocado black spot (Pseudocercospora purpurea)
- Orchards
- GAP and integrated pest management; monitoring by technicians trained by KEPHIS or its authorised body; spray and monitoring records kept
- Packhouses
- Processing, packing, storage and loading under KEPHIS supervision; washing, brushing and culling of defective fruit; no leaves, stems or soil
- Packaging
- New, clean packaging; each carton labelled in English with fruit, country, production area, orchard and packhouse names or registration numbers; cartons and pallets marked “Exported to the People's Republic of China” or “输往中华人民共和国”; wood packaging to ISPM 15
- Treatment
- Methyl bromide fumigation under KEPHIS supervision: ≥21.1 °C, 32 g/m³, ≥2 hours
- Pre-export inspection
- KEPHIS samples 2% of each consignment, at least 1,200 fruit, cutting at least 40 suspect fruit; may fall to 1% after two years without problems
- Entry into China
- Entry Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit; entry through a port approved for fruit imports; certificate and label checks; unregistered facilities are refused
What to put in a Kenyan avocado RFQ
For Chinese buyers and their agents.
- Variety: Hass (the only variety covered)
- Fruit count per carton, carton weight and minimum dry matter
- Volume per week, number of containers and arrival window
- Port of entry approved for fruit imports
- Documents: phytosanitary certificate with the additional declaration, registration codes, fumigation record
- Labelling, including the “输往中华人民共和国” mark
- Incoterms, shipping mode and payment preference
Season and timing
Kenya opens the national avocado export season by notice. In 2026, AFA surveyed maturity from 1 to 6 March, then opened harvesting for sea export on 2 April; harvesting for oil processing opened on 30 April (Kenya News Agency, 28 March 2026).
From 7 April 2026 all fresh export produce was subject to packhouse inspection, with applications at least three days before shipment, and exporters had to submit lists of registered Horticultural Produce Marketing Agents or suppliers by 30 March 2026.
Exporter readiness checklist
Registration
Orchards, packhouse and fumigation facility recorded by KEPHIS and registered by GACC for the season, with names, addresses and identification codes.
Orchard records
Pest monitoring at least every two weeks from flowering to harvest for the scale insects and black spot listed, fruit-fly and false codling moth management, and full spray records available to GACC on request.
Packhouse and packaging
KEPHIS-supervised packing; culling of over-ripe, non-typical Hass, scarred, spotted and misshapen fruit; compliant carton and pallet marks; ISPM 15 wood.
Treatment and inspection
Methyl bromide fumigation at the stated dose, then KEPHIS sampling. If a live quarantine pest is found, the consignment may not be exported to China.
Kenyan season rules
Follow AFA's harvest-opening and packhouse-inspection notices for the season, and register marketing agents or suppliers as the notice requires.
Who this guide is for
- Chinese importers and distributors assessing Kenyan Hass avocados.
- Kenyan growers, packhouses and exporters preparing for GACC registration and buyer audits.
- Logistics and fumigation providers checking what the protocol requires of them.
Frequently asked questions
Can Kenyan avocados be exported to China?
Yes, Hass avocados only, under GACC Announcement 2022 No. 47 of 1 June 2022, from orchards, packhouses and treatment facilities recorded by KEPHIS and registered by GACC.
What treatment does China require for Kenyan avocados?
Methyl bromide fumigation under KEPHIS supervision at 21.1 °C or above, 32 g/m³, for at least 2 hours.
What must the phytosanitary certificate say?
It must state the container and seal numbers and declare that the consignment complies with the protocol of phytosanitary requirements for export of fresh avocado fruits from Kenya to China and is free from quarantine pests of concern to China.
How must cartons be labelled?
In English with fruit name, country, production area, and orchard and packhouse names or registration numbers; each carton and pallet must also be marked “Exported to the People's Republic of China” or “输往中华人民共和国”.
When does Kenya's avocado export season open?
AFA sets it each year. In 2026, harvesting for sea export opened on 2 April after a maturity survey.
How do I request Kenyan avocados through SeedMatch?
Use the RFQ on this page. A sourcing specialist checks registered supply for the season before any supplier is approached. Free for buyers; programmes from USD 250,000.
Sourcing Kenyan avocados for China?
Send one confidential request with volume, count, timing, port and documents. A sourcing specialist checks registered supply and coordinates any introduction. Free for buyers; programmes from USD 250,000.
Fresh-fruit purchases are coordinated through Global B2B Group, SeedMatch Group's parent group and buyer-first marketplace. Global B2B Group
Related guides
Sources
The GACC announcement governs; Kenyan season rules come from the government news agency. Reviewed on 26 October 2026.
- GACC Announcement 2022 No. 47: phytosanitary requirements for fresh avocados from Kenya (republished) — Ministry of Commerce of the PRC (MOFCOM) · 2022-06-01
- GACC Announcement 2022 No. 47 (copy) — FAO FAOLEX database · 2022-06-01
- List of fresh fruits and origins granted quarantine access, Word file saved 4 Aug 2026 (page republished 19 Oct 2026) — GACC Department of Animal and Plant Quarantine · 2026-10-19
- Opening season for avocado harvesting to commence next month (AFA notice) — Kenya News Agency (Government of Kenya) · 2026-03-28
- Kenya enforces stricter avocado export rules as season opens — FreshPlaza · 2026-03-30
- Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) — KEPHIS · undated page, accessed 2026-10-26