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It has become the king food all over the world. So much so that in Kenya, hundreds of farms specialize in its cultivation. But the avocado sells so well and so expensive that thieves harass the farmers.
The avocado is the fruit of all desires. Demand is exploding all over the world, Europeans consume three times more than ten years ago. And Africa wants to grab its market share. In Kenya, hundreds of farms have sprung up. “It has become Kenya’s green gold, all farmers want to get started”, one of them said. But this extremely lucrative crop is also attracting more and more thieves. Last year, Joseph Murungi, who usually grows bananas, tea and coffee, decided to remove his coffee plants and replace them with avocado plants.
Growing avocado assures these Kenyan farmers “a guarantee of income and performance”. The government also encourages small farmers to get started. It must be said that with around forty trees, they can earn up to 5,000 euros per year, five times more than before. This new highly prized green gold is also of interest to thugs and traffickers. Thefts are increasing across the country. “We tried everything, if you put cameras, they destroy them. If you buy a dog, they kill it”, deplores Robert Kamau, who admits “[être prêt] to use violence to protect [nos] goods”.