Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has announced plans to establish a specialized Agriculture Police Unit to address the increasing cases of avocado theft across the country.
Speaking on Monday, April 7, during a meeting with members of the Avocado Subsector, Kagwe stated that the unit will be tasked with safeguarding farmers’ produce—both on farms and after harvest.
“To protect the livelihoods of our farmers, we must ensure that their hard work is not lost to criminal activity,” said Kagwe. “The Agriculture Police will help secure farms and maintain order across the value chain.”
The CS emphasized that eliminating criminal elements from the sector is vital to preserving farmers’ income and promoting sustainable agriculture.
As part of wider reforms in the avocado sector, Kagwe also encouraged farmers to form cooperatives to protect themselves from exploitative brokers and to improve their bargaining power. He noted that cooperatives would enable producers to access better markets and secure higher returns for their produce.
The announcement follows the Ministry’s decision in March to lift a suspension on Hass avocado harvesting for export. The Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) had previously halted the harvesting of the variety in October 2024, citing immaturity. After a January 2025 survey, AFA found the Hass variety fit for harvest and export, aligning with already mature varieties like Fuerte and Pinkerton.
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