Nakuru county government has embarked on a major distribution of avocado seedlings to farmers in order to gain from the assured vast Chinese market.
The County Executive for Agriculture, Dr. Immaculate Maina said China’s huge population loved the fatty fruit and they have already made an undertaking to buy the fruits from farmers.
Speaking during the distribution of seedlings at Mau Narok sub-county on Wednesday, Dr. Maina thus stressed the need for an increase of avocado acreage to meet the huge market.
She said a five to seven years avocado tree has the capacity to produce 200 to 300 fruits. “However, with the high
production alternates, the tree produces abundantly one year and less the following year,” she added.
The county executive said in the past avocados were luxury fruits reserved for royal families, but nowadays they are enjoyed by people from all walks of life. In Kenya, they are mainly used as bread spread instead of blue band or mixed with githeri, rice and other foods.
Dr. Maina said the healthy fats in the avocados had made them popular worldwide because unlike in the past, people have become health conscious. “Many people are keen to reduce bad cholesterol in their bodies and thus consume avocados which are known to do that role successfully,” she added.
The county was mainly distributing hass seedlings because the variety had richer flavour and was easy to smash and blend especially for babies.
She added that many beauty products, particularly facial creams and hair treatments for women contain avocados because their healing and repairing prowess.
By Veronica Bosibori
