The free fruit maturity testing services, he said, will be provided at the FSSC 22000 Food Safety Management Systems certified Kakuzi Avocado Processing and Packhouse facility located near Makuyu town, along the Nairobi-Nyeri highway.
“We are encouraging HASS variety Avocado farmers to consider taking advantage of the free fruit maturity testing services at the Kakuzi facility to minimize losses that accrue from the premature harvesting of this precious fruit,” Odhiambo said. He added that “The testing service will also serve to enhance quality assurance for all export-grade fruits, to enable Kenya to grow its international reputation.
At the GlobalGAP certified Kakuzi Avocado Packhouse, farmers will receive detailed pre-harvest reports on quality and maturity against their fruit samples. By extending the free fruit maturity testing services, Kakuzi seeks to empower smallholder farmers to access the often lucrative, albeit highly regulated global avocado markets.
Kakuzi PLC also serves as a member of the Avocado Society of Kenya, which is working on improving the positioning of Kenyan Avocado as a fruit of choice locally and internationally.
