Last week, the Agriculture and Food Authority through the Directorate of Horticulture banned avocado exports following a severe shortage that has sharply raised prices of the fruit. A visit to a city market in Nairobi reveals that a single piece of avocado is selling at Sh50 to Sh80, while last year a time like now it was Sh20.
According to the Directorate of Horticulture, the rise in prices is due to a biting shortage of popular varieties, Fuerte and Hass, which are off-season. The Authority has stated that the ban will be lifted in March when the next produce is harvested.