The International Tropical Fruits Network (TFNet) was graciously invited by the High Commission of Mauritius to partake in the Africa Day 2026 Symposium on 2 July 2026 at Sunway University. The TFNet delegation was headed by Mr. Muhamed Salim bin Mohd Ali, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), together with Christian Cangao, Information Officer.
The Symposium themed “Education, Trade & Investment” was jointly organized by the Diplomatic Corps of 19 African missions in Malaysia, which are comprised of Algeria, Egypt, Eswatini, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Libya, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Africa Day aims to strengthen relations with the continent and Malaysia through education, trade, investment, and tourism, which are key indicators to achieve inclusive and sustainable economic development in line with the African Union’s 2063 Agenda.
The Symposium was opened by Zimbabwe Ambassador Constance Chemwayi with Deputy Higher Education Minister Adam Adli Abd Halim as guest of honor. Afterwards, experts discussed each of the key indicators through individual presentations and a panel discussion.
After the Symposium, the participants were invited to visit a exhibition featuring products and food from the African countries. Guests were also delighted by cultural song and dance performances.
Tropical Fruits in Africa
Over the past decade, tropical fruit export from Africa have tripled in value from USD 0.5 billion in 2015 to USD 1.5 billion in 2025. The Food and Agriculture Organization reported that the continent has the 2nd fastest growth in the global market share of tropical fruits, only second to South America.
Pineapple is mostly grown in West Africa, particularly in Benin, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, and Ghana. Mango is produced pretty much in all African countries. Avocado is mostly concentrated in Kenya, which is the world’s third largest producer. Cavendish banana for export is mostly grown in Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Tanzania, and Ghana. For minor fruits, lychee is concentrated in Madagascar while passion fruit is exported in small quantities by Kenya.
The European Union (EU) is Africa’s largest trade partner, especially for food products. Although EU hardly produces tropical fruits (except for Spain’s Canary Islands), consumption of in Europe is significant for both fresh fruits and processed products. Some countries, such as Egypt and South Africa, also export to Asian countries.
With Africa emerging as a tropical fruit hub, it is imperative for TFNet to establish ties with producing and exporting countries to facilitate the sustainable development of the industry. In the past year, the Secretariat has made efforts to engage with South Africa, Mauritius, and Tanzania to become Country Members of TFNet. Efforts are also being done to strengthen ties with Nigeria and Sudan, who are currently Country Members.