Buyer intelligence · Kenya · fresh fruit and vegetables
Sourcing fresh produce from Kenya: what is exported, where it may go and what buyers must check
Trade data retrieved 27 Oct 2026 · sources reviewed 28 Oct 2026
Short answer
- Kenya reported exporting 120,893 t of avocados (USD 160.1 m) in 2025, mainly to the Netherlands, the UAE, Spain and France, plus 18,044 t of fresh beans, 51,722 t of pineapples and 28,316 t of mangoes (UN Comtrade, Kenya-reported).
- Cut flowers remain Kenya's largest horticultural export by value (USD 799.0 m in 2025), but they are outside SeedMatch's fresh-produce request.
- A trade flow is not market access. Fresh Hass avocados may enter China only from GACC-approved orchards and packhouses; Japan still prohibits Kenyan avocados; England applies 10% identity and physical checks to Kenyan beans for pesticide residues.
- Kenyan exporters need an HCD export licence and KEPHIS registration, and avocado sea shipments open and close by official maturity notices. SeedMatch is a buyer-side sourcing intermediary, free for buyers, for programmes from USD 250,000: we do not export, certify or hold stock, and suppliers do not contact you directly.
How to read this page: Confirmed trade flow = Kenya reported exports to that destination in UN Comtrade. Status = what an official text says about that product entering that market. Opportunity labels (open, market signal, watchlist) describe evidence, not confirmed buyer demand, which is qualified only through a request. Nothing here is a supplier offer, a price or a legal opinion.
Kenya's reported exports by product
Kenya as reporter, exports to the world, net weight and FOB value; destinations ranked by 2025 net weight. Source: UN Comtrade, retrieved 27 Oct 2026; figures may be revised.[1]
| Product (HS) | 2024 tonnes | 2024 USD m | 2025 tonnes | 2025 USD m | Largest 2025 destinations (tonnes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avocados, fresh or dried (080440) | 129,706 | 160.8 | 120,893 | 160.1 | Netherlands 27,689 · UAE 25,148 · Spain 13,401 · France 11,962 · Türkiye 7,959 · Germany 6,529 · Saudi Arabia 4,985 · China 4,117 |
| Beans (Vigna, Phaseolus), fresh or chilled (070820) | 14,809 | 29.8 | 18,044 | 40.5 | France 7,358 · United Kingdom 5,935 · Netherlands 1,944 · Belgium 1,037 · UAE 726 |
| Peas, fresh or chilled (070810) | 7,148 | 12.5 | 6,444 | 12.6 | Uganda 2,548 · Netherlands 1,216 · United Kingdom 946 · France 858 · South Africa 242 |
| Guavas, mangoes and mangosteens (080450)The two largest 2025 partners, Uganda and Rwanda, are regional markets. | 25,039 | 14.0 | 28,316 | 15.0 | Uganda 13,868 · UAE 7,548 · Rwanda 3,087 · Oman 1,583 · Saudi Arabia 424 |
| Pineapples, fresh or dried (080430) | 44,426 | 31.2 | 51,722 | 36.5 | UAE 21,940 · Saudi Arabia 9,392 · Qatar 3,910 · Oman 3,843 · Kuwait 3,217 |
| Other fresh fruit (the code covers passion fruit) (081090)The HS code groups several fruits and does not name passion fruit separately. | 1,587 | 2.3 | 2,461 | 2.9 | Uganda 804 · UAE 773 · United Kingdom 331 |
| Cut flowers and flower buds (0603)Horticulture, but not fresh fruit or vegetables: outside SeedMatch's produce RFQ. | 176,249 | 722.9 | 184,632 | 799.0 | Netherlands 81,424 · United Kingdom 35,414 · Saudi Arabia 10,402 · UAE 9,421 · Kazakhstan 7,190 · Germany 7,137 |
| Macadamia nuts, shelled (080262)Nuts: outside SeedMatch's fresh-produce RFQ.In-shell export is restricted; see the rules below. | 7,431 | 54.9 | 9,177 | 95.9 | United States 3,218 · Netherlands 1,659 · Germany 1,575 · China 778 · Viet Nam 487 |
Where Kenyan produce may go: destination status
Each row cites the official text it rests on. Rows marked “verify” could not be confirmed from an official source in this review; they are not a statement that the route is closed.
| Product | Destination | Status | What the official text says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avocados, fresh or dried | China | Admissible with conditions (official text) | Hass only. Orchards, packing facilities and treatment establishments must be registered with KEPHIS and approved by GACC; good agricultural practice, pest management and monitoring, and traceable packaging apply.[2] |
| Avocados, fresh or dried | Japan | Not admissible — request in negotiation | Kenya is in Japan's avocado prohibition; MAFF shows only that Kenya's avocado and passion fruit requests were received in September 2019.[3] |
| Avocados, fresh or dried | European Union | Not confirmed — verify with the authority | Fresh fruit other than five exempt fruits (pineapples, coconuts, durians, bananas, dates) needs a phytosanitary certificate. Product-specific EU plant-health conditions for Kenyan avocados were not verified in this review.[4][5] |
| Avocados, fresh or dried | United States | Not confirmed — verify with the authority | No current APHIS import record for fresh Kenyan avocados was verified; check the ACIR database before planning shipments.[6] |
| Beans (Vigna, Phaseolus), fresh or chilled | England (UK) | Increased official checks in force | From 1 Jan 2026 England's high-risk food list includes Kenyan beans (Vigna and Phaseolus, fresh or chilled, code 0708 20) for pesticide residues, with 10% identity and physical checks. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland were not verified.[7] |
| Beans (Vigna, Phaseolus), fresh or chilled | European Union | Not confirmed — verify with the authority | Kenyan entries in the EU increased-controls annexes (consolidated version of 30 Jun 2026) were not verified in this review; check the current Annex I and II rows before contracting.[8] |
| Cut flowers and flower buds | European Union | Not confirmed — verify with the authority | The EU plant-health regulation sets special import requirements for hosts of certain pests, such as false codling moth; how they apply to each Kenyan flower species was not verified in this review.[5] |
| Macadamia nuts, shelled | Any destination (Kenyan rule) | Export restricted at origin | Section 43 of the AFA Act prohibits exporting macadamia in shell without the Cabinet Secretary's written authority, and each shipment needs an electronic export permit through designated ports. The ban on raw in-shell exports was reported as still in force on 11 Nov 2025.[9][10] |
General information, not legal advice. Each importer, exporter and supplier remains responsible for the rules that apply to its own role; requirements change, so confirm the current product–destination requirement with the authorities before contracting.
Kenyan export rules every supplier must meet
These apply before a consignment leaves Kenya, whatever the destination.
1. HCD exporter registration and export licence
Horticultural exporters apply to the AFA Horticultural Crops Directorate for export registration (Form 1A) and an export licence (Form 1B), with packhouse and farm inspection reports, under the Crops Act 2013 and the Horticultural Crops Regulations 2020.[11][12]
2. KEPHIS registration and phytosanitary certificate
KEPHIS registers exporters of agricultural produce (application with the HCD export licence and farm, crop, acreage and destination details) and audits traceability, pest management, hygiene, contracted farms and storage within ten working days. Consignments need a phytosanitary certificate where the destination requires one, applied for through the IEICS system.[13][14]
3. Avocado maturity windows
Sea shipments of Hass, Pinkerton, Fuerte and Jumbo were closed from 25 Oct 2024 while air shipments continued under inspection; Fuerte and Pinkerton reopened for sea shipment on 14 Feb 2025; sea-export harvesting reopened on 2 Apr 2026, with packhouse inspection from 7 Apr 2026. Check the latest AFA notice for the current window.[15][16][17]
Opportunities and watchlist
Evidence-based leads for buyers. None of them is confirmed buyer demand or a supplier offer; each is qualified through a request.
Open
Hass avocados for China from registered sites
Access exists under GACC's 2022 requirements, and Kenya reported 4,117 t of avocado exports to China in 2025. Supply depends on approved orchards and packhouses.[2][1]
Open
Fine beans for Europe and the UK
France, the UK and the Netherlands took most of the 18,044 t Kenya reported in 2025. Plan residue testing for England's 10% checks.[1][7]
Market signal
Pineapples, mangoes and avocados for the Gulf
The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait were the main 2025 partners for Kenyan pineapples, and the UAE ranked second for avocados. Gulf import rules were not reviewed here; verify per product.[1]
Watchlist
Kenyan avocados for Japan
Prohibited today; Kenya's request was received in September 2019. Do not plan shipments until MAFF publishes a standard.[3]
Buyer checklist before contracting
- The exporter's HCD export licence and KEPHIS registration, in the legal name that will appear on the documents
- For China: the GACC registration of the orchard, packhouse and treatment site for each lot
- The current AFA avocado notice: is sea shipment open for the variety and region in your window?
- Residue results against the destination's limits; for Kenyan beans into England, expect 10% physical checks
- A draft phytosanitary certificate reviewed before shipment where the destination requires one
- Food-safety and social certificates your customers require, shown as current certificates naming the holder and site
- Cold chain: pre-cooling, reefer set point and transit time by sea versus air
- Incoterms, inspection point and who carries the rejection risk
Kenyan exporters and packhouses (research leads)
Our export-origin page lists Kenyan avocado, vegetable and fruit exporters named in official or company sources, with roles and company-stated certifications. Listing is not a partnership or endorsement.
Sourcing a Kenyan programme
Send one confidential request with product, variety, grade, packaging, volume, destination, delivery window and the documents your customers require. A sourcing specialist reviews it before any supplier is approached; supplier communication is mediated by Global B2B Group, SeedMatch's parent group. Free for buyers; programmes from USD 250,000. No guarantee of price, supply or import approval.
Questions buyers ask
Can Kenyan avocados be exported to China?
Yes, fresh Hass avocados only, from orchards, packhouses and treatment facilities registered with KEPHIS and approved by GACC, under GACC Announcement No. 47 of 2022.
Can Kenyan avocados enter Japan?
Not as of this review. Kenya is in Japan's avocado prohibition; MAFF shows only that the request was received in September 2019.
Are Kenyan beans checked at the UK border?
In England, from 1 January 2026, fresh or chilled Kenyan beans are on the high-risk list for pesticide residues, with 10% identity and physical checks.
Why do Kenyan avocado shipments stop at certain times of year?
AFA opens and closes harvesting for sea shipment by fruit maturity. For example, sea shipments closed on 25 October 2024 while air shipments continued under inspection, and in 2026 sea-export harvesting reopened on 2 April.
Is SeedMatch an exporter?
No. SeedMatch Group is a buyer-side sourcing intermediary and does not export, certify or hold stock. Buyers do not pay to submit a request; managed sourcing is for programmes from USD 250,000, and supplier communication is mediated by Global B2B Group.
Sources
Official and primary sources as titled by their publishers. Dates are publication or effective dates; undated pages show the day we read them.
- UN Comtrade Database — origin-reported exports by partner, annual, HS six-digit — United Nations Statistics Division, 27 Oct 2026
- GACC Announcement No. 47 of 2022: phytosanitary requirements for fresh Kenyan avocados (Hass only) — General Administration of Customs of China (via Ministry of Commerce), 1 Jun 2022
- Import-ban lifting requests from Kenya (avocado, passion fruit: requests received September 2019) — Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan), undated page, accessed 28 Oct 2026
- Trade in plants and plant products from non-EU countries — European Commission, DG SANTE, undated page, accessed 28 Oct 2026
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 on protective measures against plant pests (consolidated text) — European Commission / EUR-Lex, undated page, accessed 28 Oct 2026
- Agricultural Commodity Import Requirements (ACIR) database — USDA APHIS, undated page, accessed 28 Oct 2026
- The Official Controls (Import of High-Risk Food and Feed of Non-Animal Origin) (Amendment of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793) (England) Regulations 2025, SI 2025/1162 — legislation.gov.uk, 3 Nov 2025
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 on increased official controls (current consolidated version 30 Jun 2026) — European Commission / EUR-Lex, 30 Jun 2026
- Press release: attention to all macadamia stakeholders (in-shell export prohibition) — Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), 6 Feb 2025
- Harvesting of macadamia nuts temporarily banned — Kenya News Agency, 11 Nov 2025
- HCD exporter registration and export licence (Forms 1A and 1B, packhouse and farm inspection reports) — Kenya Trade Information Portal / AFA Horticultural Crops Directorate, undated page, accessed 28 Oct 2026
- The Crops (Horticultural Crops) Regulations, Legal Notice 118 of 2020 — Kenya Law, 17 Jul 2020
- Procedure for Registration as an Exporter of Agricultural Produce — KEPHIS, undated page, accessed 28 Oct 2026
- FAQs (phytosanitary certificate for exports; IEICS registration) — Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), undated page, accessed 28 Oct 2026
- Closing of the avocado export season in Kenya for the year 2024/2025 — Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency, 30 Oct 2024
- Opening of Fuerte avocado harvesting for the year 2024/2025 season — Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), 27 Jan 2025
- AFA clears avocado export, warns against immature harvesting — Kenya News Agency, 30 Mar 2026