By Jameson
The Avocado Society of Kenya has welcomed the opening of a Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry mission office in Dubai, describing it as a major milestone that will help protect Kenyan avocado exporters from financial losses and strengthen the country’s presence in the Middle East market.
Speaking during the announcement, Avocado Society Chief Executive Officer Muthomi Ernest said Kenyan exporters have for years lost significant income through non payment disputes, particularly in overseas markets. He noted that the new liaison office in Dubai, established by KNCCI, would be a game changer for the sector.
“Our people lose a lot of money to banks and exporters have suffered losses through claims of non payments,” Muthomi said. “Having a liaison office that the society will partner with KNCCI is a major step towards securing our exports.”
He explained that the Dubai office will help ensure prompt payments, reduce disputes between exporters and buyers, and provide a reliable point of contact whenever complaints arise. According to Muthomi, this will bring much needed confidence to exporters as the avocado season approaches.
Beyond dispute resolution, the office will also be used to market and brand Kenyan avocados in Dubai, a competitive international hub. Muthomi said the sector must actively tell Kenya’s story to stand out among other avocado producing countries.
“We are not the only players in that market. We need to create visibility for Kenya so that we can achieve better prices and higher volumes,” he said.
Muthomi added that the initiative was originally pushed by avocado farmers and exporters themselves, and that the society had formally expressed interest in partnering with KNCCI to ensure the success of the Dubai mission.
He urged organizations that are not yet members of KNCCI to join the chamber and take advantage of the initiative, saying collaboration is key to protecting exports and expanding market access.
“As a society, we are going to provide technical support on quality, inspections, and export protocols,” Muthomi said. “We will also put in place clear protocols in Dubai.”
The Avocado Society currently has more than 160 registered exporters shipping avocados to Dubai. Muthomi said the new office significantly improves security and accountability in the export process, especially with the new season set to begin next month.
“We are more secure now when sending our products there,” he said. “Due diligence has been done, and anyone who ignores this opportunity does so at their own risk.”
