Tanzania’s Green Gold: How Avocado Production Could Transform the Economy
The country is already ranked among the top three producers in Africa, alongside Kenya and South Africa, and has emerged as a mid-tier global player, sitting within the world’s top 20 exporters.
Tanzania is steadily climbing the ranks of Africa’s leading avocado producers, positioning the fruit as one of the country’s most promising green exports. From the Southern Highlands to the slopes of Kilimanjaro, avocado production is spreading rapidly, with the government and private sector projecting output to reach more than 290,000 tonnes by 2025, up from an estimated 195,000 tonnes in recent years. With over 90 percent of production handled by smallholder farmers, the crop is proving to be not just an agricultural commodity but a potential driver of inclusive economic transformation.
A Growing Agricultural Powerhouse
Tanzania’s rise in avocado production has been swift. The country is already ranked among the top three producers in Africa, alongside Kenya and South Africa, and has emerged as a mid-tier global player, sitting within the world’s top 20 exporters. Exports have expanded by more than 70 percent between 2021 and 2023, reaching 26,826 tonnes valued at roughly US$77 million. If current growth trends hold, exports are projected to exceed 31,000 tonnes in 2025, pushing annual earnings beyond the US$90 million mark. For a horticultural subsector, these figures underscore the fruit’s potential as a foreign exchange earner.
The Regions Driving Growth
Avocado thrives in Tanzania’s diverse agro-climatic zones, and production is spread across multiple regions. The Southern Highlands, particularly Njombe, Mbeya, Iringa, and Songwe, have become the backbone of commercial avocado farming, producing Hass varieties that dominate global markets. In the north, Kilimanjaro, Arusha, and Tanga are equally important, while other regions such as Kagera, Kigoma, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Manyara, and Morogoro are expanding rapidly. Together, these zones provide Tanzania with a unique advantage: staggered harvest seasons that allow the country to serve international markets for longer periods of the year.
Export Markets and Opportunities
Tanzania’s avocados are already finding eager buyers abroad. The Netherlands leads as a gateway to the European Union, re-exporting Tanzanian produce across the bloc. India has emerged as the second-largest destination, thanks to duty-free market access, while the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and France also rank among the top importers. Europe accounts for about 40 percent of Tanzania’s exports, India nearly 30 percent, and the Middle East close to 20 percent. Beyond these, opportunities exist in Asia, where markets such as China, Malaysia, Singapore, and Japan are hungry for high-quality fruit, provided Tanzania can meet stringent phytosanitary and certification standards.
Challenges Holding Back the Sector
Despite its progress, the avocado sector faces significant hurdles. Inadequate cold chain infrastructure means that fruit often arrives in poor condition, leading to price cuts or outright rejection in Europe’s demanding retail chains. Transport bottlenecks, including poor rural roads and limited refrigerated container capacity, drive up costs and erode competitiveness. On the farm, uneven seedling quality, weak irrigation systems, and limited farmer knowledge on pruning and crop management suppress yields. Compliance with global standards such as GlobalG.A.P. and maximum residue limits remains a stumbling block for smallholders, while fragmented supply chains make it difficult to aggregate export-quality volumes.
Unlocking the Potential
For Tanzania to turn avocados into a true engine of growth, several steps are essential. First, scaling up certified nurseries and ensuring farmers have access to quality Hass seedlings will raise yields and improve consistency. Expanding irrigation and offering technical training on canopy management and crop protection will boost productivity. Investment in modern packhouses equipped with pre-cooling and ripening technology is critical, particularly in Njombe, Mbeya, and Kilimanjaro. Developing reliable logistics corridors and increasing access to refrigerated shipping containers will reduce post-harvest losses and open more distant markets. At the policy level, supporting smallholder groups to achieve certifications such as Global G.A.P. and building stronger farmer cooperatives will help aggregate volumes and cut compliance costs.
The Way Forward
If Tanzania meets its production targets of 290,000 tonnes by 2025 and 315,000 tonnes by 2027, while simultaneously expanding access to high-value markets, the avocado subsector could become a US$100 million export industry within the next two years. Beyond earnings, it could create thousands of jobs in farming, transport, and processing, while offering smallholder households a stable cash crop that withstands global demand cycles better than traditional staples. The promise of value addition—through avocado oil, puree, and other processed products—offers even greater long-term benefits.
Tanzania stands at a turning point. With the right investments in seedlings, infrastructure, logistics, and certifications, avocados can become the country’s “green gold,” helping diversify the economy, lift rural incomes, and position Tanzania as a competitive player in the global horticulture arena. The opportunity is real; the challenge now lies in turning potential into prosperity.