Tanzania Surpasses 2030 Avocado Export Target As ‘Green Gold’ Gains Global Market Momentum

Tanzania has successfully exported a total of 52,000 tonnes of avocado during the 2025/2026 season, surpassing the country’s target of exporting 40,000 tonnes by 2030.

The impressive performance in Tanzania’s avocado sector represents a 237 percent increase from the 15,432.77 tonnes recorded in the 2020/2021 season.

The achievement has also been accompanied by a significant surge in foreign exchange earnings from the sector, which rose from US$44.2 million in 2020/2021 to US$97.2 million in 2025/2026, representing a 120.4 percent increase.

On the same vein, avocado production in Tanzania has registered significant growth, rising from 149,340 tonnes to 203,473 tonnes, equivalent to a 36.24 percent increase.

In his remarks while gracing the opening of the Third National Avocado Stakeholders’ Forum in Dodoma, Minister for Agriculture, Hon. Daniel Godfrey Chongolo (MP), said the achievement demonstrates that avocado has continued to emerge as an important commercial crop for creating employment, attracting investment, increasing farmers’ incomes and generating foreign exchange.

Mr Chongolo stressed the need to further strengthen collaboration between the government and private-sector players in a concerted effort to accelerate the development of the avocado industry in the country.

The Minister said reaching 52,000 tonnes in avocado exports against the 40,000-tonne target set for 2030 sends a clear message about the significant economic potential of Tanzania’s avocado industry.

“This achievement was driven by the mutual working collaboration between the government and the private sector in strengthening production, markets and infrastructure, as well as establishing systems that facilitate formal, transparent and efficient trade across the value chain,” Mr Chongolo observed.

He added that the milestone provides a strong foundation for setting more ambitious targets and ensuring that continued growth in the avocado business translates into greater productivity and increased benefits for farmers and the nation.

“The growth has been built through integrated efforts by the government and its institutions, together with the private sector, in production, access to and use of agricultural inputs, extension services, irrigation, infrastructure, quality assurance, and strengthening productive market and trade systems,” the Minister insisted.

He said the government has continued to create a conducive investment environment, while private-sector stakeholders have remained actively involved in production, purchasing, processing, transportation, trade and other services across the avocado value chain.

The Minister encouraged the private sector to increase investment in avocado processing and value addition to maximise the crop’s economic potential.

Detailing the crop’s 2026/2027 season, the Director General (DG) of the Cereal and Other Produce Regulatory Authority (COPRA), Ms Irene Madeje Mlola, said emphasis would be placed on strengthening systems to facilitate sustainable growth in the avocado business.

She explained that the measures entail completing and operationalising crop collection and storage centres, strengthening their operation and management, and continuing to formalise, improve transparency and enhance monitoring of trade across the value chain.

“Implementation of these measures will involve farmers, cooperative societies, buyers, traders, the private sector and financial institutions to ensure that invested infrastructure and market opportunities are fully utilised to increase value for farmers and the nation,” the COPRA Director General said.

To increase production and productivity, she said the government has strengthened extension services and access to seedlings, including recruiting 50 young people through the Building a Better Tomorrow (BBT) extension services programme, strengthening AMCOS and 169 farmer groups, as well as providing subsidies for 129,986 seedlings during the 2025/2026 season.

In further efforts to boost the performance of the sector, it was unveiled during the forum that plans are underway for the government to distribute at least 500,000 avocado seedlings during the 2026/2027 season.

Alongside these measures, a total of 39 wells have been drilled in Njombe, Mufindi and Iringa, while 3bn/- has been allocated for 20 avocado collection centres in 13 councils.

Among the strategies unveiled to elevate the sector to new heights, COPRA has also partnered with UWAMARU AMCOS to establish a packing facility.

To strengthen trade and competitiveness, Tanzania has expanded its avocado export markets to countries including the Netherlands, India, the United Arab Emirates, France, South Africa and China, alongside improvements in transportation infrastructure and the cold-chain system.

The government has also strengthened standards, regulatory frameworks, quality control, registration, licensing and permit systems to increase the formalisation and transparency of avocado trade.

Held under the theme, “Our Avocado, Our Opportunity: Quality, Markets, Value Addition and Transparent Trade,” the forum also provided a platform for the government to formally open the 2026/2027 avocado buying season.