Guide

Avocado export packaging from Ethiopia: 4 kg cartons, size codes and marking

European buyers commonly take avocados in 4 kg cardboard boxes, with the size code telling them how many fruit are inside: sizes 16 to 18, sometimes 20, are preferred for Hass. Under the UNECE avocado standard (FFV-42), every package must show the packer or exporter, the produce and its variety, the country of origin, the class and the size.

By Eastern Dragon Package Tech PLCLast updated 24 September 2026

Key facts

Common export box	4 kg cardboard box; 10 kg crates for importers who ripen and repack
Preferred Hass sizes in Europe	16 to 18, sometimes 20, per 4 kg box
Size 16	Fruit of 227 to 274 g, about 16 per 4 kg box
Quality standard	UNECE FFV-42 Avocados (2023 edition)
On every package	Packer or exporter, produce and variety, origin, class, size
Ethiopia’s Avocado Export Guide	Released November 2025, for the move from air to sea freight

Which carton do avocado exporters use?

For Europe, the common format is a 4 kg cardboard box, used by wholesalers; importers who ripen and repack avocados also buy in 10 kg crates. The fruit is usually packed in a single layer, so it does not press on itself, and the number of fruit in the box follows their size. The carton has to stay strong in cold, humid conditions from the packhouse to the ship and the buyer’s ripening room, with vents placed so cold air can move through the stack, and it has to fit the pallet without overhanging the edges.

What does the size code on an avocado box mean?

The UNECE avocado standard grades fruit by weight into size codes. For a 4 kg box, the code is close to the number of fruit it holds: size 16 means fruit of 227 to 274 g, about 16 to a box. European buyers prefer Hass in sizes 16 to 18, and sometimes 20, per 4 kg box.

Size code	Fruit weight (g)
12	300 to 371
14	258 to 313
16	227 to 274
18	203 to 243
20	184 to 217
22	165 to 196
24	151 to 175

What must be printed on each avocado package?

The UNECE standard requires the particulars to be grouped on one side of the package, legible, indelible and visible from outside, printed on the package or on a label, in ink that does not run in water.

Item	What to print
Identification	The packer and/or exporter: name and physical address, or an officially recognised code mark
Nature of produce	“Avocados” if the contents cannot be seen, and the name of the variety (compulsory for all classes)
Origin	The country of origin in full or a commonly used name, e.g. “Produce of Ethiopia”; the district is optional
Commercial specifications	The class (compulsory) and the size: weights, count, or size code with the number of fruit or the net weight
Official control mark	Optional

Why is Ethiopia moving avocado exports to sea freight?

Air freight is expensive for a heavy, low-price fruit. In November 2025 the Ethiopian Agriculture Authority and the Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA), with the Dutch Centre for the Promotion of Imports (CBI), released an Avocado Export Guide to standardise shipping by sea, and a cold port is being built at Mojo, Ethiopia’s main inland port. At sea, cartons spend weeks in refrigerated containers rather than hours in the air, which puts more weight on carton strength in cold, humid conditions.

How do you order avocado cartons?

Most of what a carton maker needs comes from your pack plan.

Decide the net weight (usually 4 kg) and the sizes you will pack.
Tell us the pallet you ship on and how many boxes go on each layer.
Send your packhouse details and the marking to be printed.
Test a sample carton through a full pack, cooling and pallet trial before the season.

Questions

How many avocados are in a 4 kg box?

About as many as the size code: a size 16 box holds roughly 16 fruit of 227 to 274 g each, and a size 20 box about 20 smaller fruit.

Is the variety name compulsory on an avocado box?

Yes. Under the UNECE avocado standard, the name of the variety is compulsory for all classes.

Can the country of origin be abbreviated on the box?

No. The standard asks for the full name or a commonly used name of the country, such as “Produce of Ethiopia”. Abbreviations are not allowed; USA is the one accepted acronym.