The National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) is urging farmers to cultivate Hass avocados, highlighting their high value in oil production and the promising market provided by five factories currently processing avocados in Uganda.
NAADS Executive Director has assured Busoga region’s high-value crop farmers of a guaranteed market for their produce, as five companies in Uganda are now processing avocados into oil for export to Europe.
The government, through NAADS, is currently evaluating efforts to promote the cultivation of high-value fruits like Hass avocados and macadamia in eastern Uganda. This initiative includes training agricultural extension workers to assist farmers in maximizing avocado yields.
The government’s campaign to boost avocado cultivation follows the rising demand for avocado oil in Europe, which has led to increased interest across the country. As a result, Uganda has attracted more than five investors who have established processing plants to extract crude oil from avocados.
NAADS is rallying farmers to consider Hass avocado as a high-value crop and to increase its production, according to Khadija Nakakande, the NAADS Communications Manager.
This push has put pressure on farmers, as the new factories require up to 22 million kilos of avocados annually, a demand expected to be met by hundreds of thousands of farmers across the country.