Ethiopia launches an ambitious National Avocado Development Program, backed by a 38.5 billion Birr budget, with the monumental goal of becoming the world's leading avocado producer and exporter within the next 15 years.

The avocado industry is a massive global sector, circulating over $18 billion annually. Its demand has surged over the past decade, making it a critical source of foreign exchange for major global producers. For instance, Mexico, which exports over 1.28 million metric tons of avocado annually, earned approximately $3.787 billion in foreign currency in 2024 alone. The global popularity of Hass avocado—the preferred export variety—translates to high retail prices, often ranging from $4 to $7 per kilogram worldwide, with a single large fruit fetching up to one U.S. dollar in major markets like the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

While Ethiopia has seen commendable success in expanding avocado cultivation over the past four years, moving the crop from solely domestic consumption to a source of foreign exchange, the country’s current output remains far below its potential.

To bridge this gap, the newly launched program sets aggressive targets. It aims to expand the current avocado cultivation area from 100,000 hectares to 191,000 hectares and increase the total annual yield dramatically, from 400,000 tons to 3.8 million tons. The initiative is expected to directly benefit 3 million smallholder farmers across the nation.

Beyond food consumption and cosmetic products, which were the traditional uses for avocado, the product is now increasingly sought after as a key input by large agro-processing and pharmaceutical factories, further expanding the potential for Ethiopia’s exports.