Plan your sourcing programme around crop maturity, processing readiness and confirmed freight capacity. This edition covers Kenyan origins; Uganda, Tanzania and other East African origins require their own crop calendars. All months refer to activity at origin, not arrival at the buyer's warehouse.
Harvest windows are indicative. The order-opening months and last-order targets below are proposed Dosano procurement planning assumptions, not official deadlines or guarantees of availability. They must be approved against the supplier's crop forecast, current regulatory notices and actual carrier cut-offs before a booking is committed.
Harvest and procurement planning table
| Produce Category | Peak Harvest Season (Months) | Season Duration | Order Window Opens | Last Day for Orders |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hass avocado — Kenya | Indicatively April–July; broader main crop March–September, with some later high-altitude fruit into October | Approximately 7 months for the main crop; regional extensions are conditional | December–January for an intended April sea-export programme; open the brief before confirming harvest or loading | No fixed national order date. Set the lot-specific deadline 4–6 weeks before the last feasible loading date. Example: 31 August is a provisional target for late-September loading, subject to maturity, approvals and carrier confirmation. |
| Fuerte avocado — Kenya | Indicatively March–June; broader availability approximately February–August, varying by orchard | Approximately 7 months across the broader crop; peak about 4 months | November–December for early crop planning; confirm the permitted sea-export opening separately | No fixed national order date. For an intended late-August loading, use 15 July as a provisional planning target, subject to confirmed mature supply and the applicable export window. |
| Arabica coffee — Kenya main crop | October–December harvest; later picking is possible in some areas. Use March–June as a target shipment programme after processing, milling, grading and sample approval | Main harvest approximately 3 months; proposed shipment programme 4 months | December–January for March shipment planning; earlier expressions of interest can reserve a sourcing brief pending lot availability | 30 April is a proposed deadline for a late-June shipment programme with roughly 8 weeks of preparation. It is not a national coffee export closure; later orders depend on available lots and processing readiness. |
| Tea — Kenya, recurring supply | January–December production. Target January–March and July–September for premium-lot evaluation, subject to estate, weather and tasting approval | Year-round, with two proposed 3-month premium sourcing programmes | Rolling briefs 8–12 weeks before shipment. Open in October–November for January programmes and April–May for July programmes | No annual last day. For an existing programme, use a provisional deadline 4–6 weeks before the booked loading date; new blend development or packaging may require longer. |
| Macadamia nuts — Kenya, processed kernels | Indicatively March–July for main-crop procurement; secondary or extended supply depends on region, maturity and current AFA directions | Approximately 5 months for main-crop procurement; processed inventory may be available later | December–January for March procurement, allowing for drying, cracking, grading and approval | No fixed national order date. Set the deadline 6–8 weeks before the processor's confirmed final dispatch. Example: 31 May is a provisional target for late-July dispatch, not a harvest or export authorization. |
How to use the calendar
Avocados: Treat February/March–September/October as a broad sourcing envelope, not permission to harvest or export. Sea shipment opens only when AFA authorizes it and fruit meets the required maturity standards. In 2026, AFA's opening was reported as 2 April, with packhouse inspections from 7 April and inspection requests at least three days before shipment. These dates are a historical example, not a recurring annual schedule. Kenya News Agency report of AFA's 2026 notice
The variety-level windows reflect an exporter’s published orchard calendar and must be checked against the actual supplier's production zone. Do not promise late fruit solely because the calendar shows October. Kenyan grower/exporter variety calendar
Coffee: Separate picking from export readiness. The October–December main crop and April–July fly crop are recognized industry patterns. March–June is a useful Dosano shipment-planning programme, rather than the only period when Kenyan coffee can leave the country. Require milling, grading, cup approval and confirmed stock before issuing a firm dispatch promise. African Fine Coffees Association, International Coffee Organization Kenya profile
Tea: Year-round supply does not mean identical quality or volume throughout the year. January–March and July–September are proposed premium procurement review windows, not verified nationwide quality peaks. Approve lots by sample and estate records. Parliamentary evidence explains that quality potential differs between regions and can improve under slower-growth dry-season conditions. Kenya parliamentary report on tea pricing and quality
Macadamia: Use March–July as a conservative main-crop procurement assumption, then replace it with the processor's verified forecast. Do not treat stored processed kernels, fresh harvesting and raw nut-in-shell exports as the same activity. Seasonal restrictions can change: AFA's 2024 notice set specific harvest and stock-declaration dates. Check the latest notice and the permitted product form before contracting. AFA macadamia guidance, AFA seasonal notice — historical example
Why Proactive Procurement Planning Matters
Opening a brief 2–3 months before the intended shipping programme gives buyers and suppliers time to align quality, volume, payment terms, compliance and freight. It improves the opportunity to secure capacity; an early agreement alone does not guarantee equipment or a vessel slot.
- Reserve the right equipment: For fresh produce, request reefer equipment and the appropriate vessel allocation through the carrier or forwarder. Coordinate terminal receiving and reefer power arrangements at Mombasa. The port does not itself allocate a shipping line's vessel space.
- Protect product quality: Align harvesting, packhouse capacity, inspections, pre-cooling and dispatch. Avoid harvesting before transport and inspection arrangements are ready.
- Allow time for approvals: Identify commodity and destination requirements, prepare accurate documents and resolve discrepancies before cargo reaches the terminal.
- Manage peak-season pressure: Consider alternative sailings, equipment shortages, vessel rollovers and terminal cut-offs before they affect the shipment. Confirm the live route and transit time rather than relying on last season's schedule.
- Use suitable transport for each category: Fresh avocados generally require a specified cold chain. Coffee, made tea and processed macadamia commonly use suitable dry cargo arrangements; select equipment and moisture protection against the product specification rather than automatically booking reefers.
Dosano's proposed procurement checkpoints
| Timing before intended loading | Action | Evidence to record |
|---|---|---|
| 8–12 weeks | Open the brief and assess sources, indicative freight and destination requirements | Product specification, forecast volume, destination and target dispatch |
| 6–8 weeks | Align commercial terms and verify supplier or processor readiness | Agreed responsibilities, sample plan and processing schedule |
| 4–6 weeks | Confirm feasible capacity and the shipment-specific order deadline | Carrier booking status, equipment requirement and written cut-offs |
| Final preparation period | Complete the applicable inspections, certificates, VGM for sea containers and cargo handover | Approved documents, release status and acceptance evidence |
Calculate a contractual order deadline from the confirmed loading plan and preparation lead time. Separately test that harvesting, processing and dispatch comply with every applicable regulatory date. If any essential deadline cannot be met, offer a revised shipment rather than presenting the order as safe to load.
Start a sourcing brief: info@dosanologistics.com | +254 748 980 723 | Ngong Road, Nairobi, Kenya.
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