Sisi Village Produce is set to establish an Avocado processing plant in Malava, Kakamega County for value addition of avocado fruits. The Processing plant will be established on a private Export Processing Zone (EPZ) facility that is under construction and owned by the organization. The EPZ will also be used as a sorting centre for avocado received from farmers to identify high quality avocados that meet the export market for export. Avocado fruits that will not meet the export market quality will be used at the processing plant to produce different avocado products including avocado oil. Speaking to KNA Sisi Village Produce Avocado Ambassador Elijah Karungani encouraged farmers to plant many avocados trees promising that the organization will support in farming and marketing of their fruits. He said as much as the organization is encouraging farmers to plant Hass Avocado varieties for export, the organization will also purchase other varieties from farmers at the EPZ. ‘We have encouraged farmers to plant as low as 10 seedlings. It is our prayers that farmers plant avocados in large numbers to enhance the chances of this sub county growing economically. We will be having the power to purchase and hence change the perception of this sub county,’ he noted. The Chairperson of Mumbo Avocado Farmers’ Cooperative Society Limited Maxwell Shamala said that the Hass Avocado variety has a wide market all over the world urging farmers willing to plant to obtain clean planting materials at the Sisi Village Produce. He said the processing plant will turn around the economy of Malava sub county since oil from avocado is needed across the world in the Pharmaceutical industries and in culinary recipes. Shamala added that the climate of Malava Sub County is conducive and supports the thriving of avocado trees promising farmers that avocado farming has high returns. The Chairman of Kakamega Fish Farmers Cooperative Society Dan Mwanzo who is also an Avocado farmer was delighted that some fish farmers from the county are also eager to plant avocados. He said it was important for farmers to diversify and venture into different types of farming enterprises in order to increase their incomes. According to the Horticultural Crops Directorate, Western Region produces Fuerte and Hass Avocados which are in demand in the export market. To support the crop, the Kakamega County government has invested Sh10 million for avocado promotion and assisting farmers to access clean planting materials.
Source: Kenya News Agency