The Avocado Association of Zambia has encouraged local people to venture into avocado farming, as it is a profitable business with a readily available market.
Association Chairman Goodson Kalolo said currently, most of the people growing avocados are white commercial farmers who export most of their produce adding that avocado farming is new in Zambia and not a lot of people are doing it.
Speaking in an interview with the Zambian Business Times-ZBT, Kalolo noted that he is hopeful that in the next 5 years more local people will venture into avocado farming, as is the case in Kenya unlike the current situation where most commercial white farmers are growing avocados for export purposes only.
He explained that the association is currently producing around 60-70 metric tons of hass avocados annually, which is consumed by the local market adding that the association is not exporting because of the huge market available locally.
Kalolo however mentioned that the association would consider exporting once it starts producing excess avocados.
“It’s a very good business, things are moving in the right direction, 4 to 5 years from now Zambia will be in a positon to export, it’s a good business for small scale farmers. Those exporting currently are white commercial farmers, their interest is just to export and no local small scale farmers are exporting”, he said.
“At the moment people have just planted, if we talk about 4 years from now, there will be a lot of avocados in Zambia of which even the local people will export. Suppose you have 100 trees and a tree is producing an average of about 400 fruits or 500 fruits, then you are selling it at an average of K4 per fruit, it means you are making money”, Kalolo added.
