QUICKLINKS

AVOCADO OVERVIEW

🥑SUPPLY UPDATE

In a nutshell the national production figures for last week were as follows:

· Week 15, 2024 - The industry saw a 7.73% increase on the previous week’s harvest with a total of 620,704 tray equivalents harvested and transported (approx 45,000 more tray equivalents) on Week 14, 2024 production. The national harvest included 455,093 Shepard tray equivalents along with WA Hass variety supplying 103,498 tray equivalents together with 62,113 trays of assorted other varieties in this week’s reported figures.

North QLD has well and truly taken lead production with the Shepard variety accounting for 55.18% of the total production volume this week, Central Queensland accounting for a further 31.93%, then Western Australia with supply accounting for 12.71% and other varietals from Tristate accounting for 0.13% and SC with 0.05%.

· It is forecast that a total of some 502,000 tray equivalents will be despatched this week (Week 16) nationally. This figure can be broken down by variety with the Shepard variety expected to represent some 369,000 tray equivalents whilst Hass will contribute approximately 120,000 of this total. Shepard harvest figures are expected within a range of 72K to 320K over the next three weeks. A number of growers have harvested heavily this week with the end of the shepard season being close at hand which has not helped at all with holding pricing steady and has therefore put tremendous downward pressure on pricing.

In terms of Avocado retail in the major supermarkets in Qld we saw stable shelf prices as follows - Aldi Shepards this week with shelf tickets at $1.39 each; Coles Qld had Shepard avocados ticketed at $1.30ea, and Woolworths with Greenskin Shepards at $1.30ea.

RETAIL SNAPSHOTS OF AVOCADOS

Below: Coles Displays from Indooroopilly, Garden City and Pimpama

Coles stores had Shepards on display in size 20-25 at $1.30ea.
Stores had Autumn Hass avocados priced at $1.30ea.
5 piece packs at $4.50ea and 1kg packs at $4.00ea.
Fruit packed date 2nd April to 8th April so fruit age 9-15 days old.

Below: Aldi Displays from Indooroopilly, Garden City and Pimpama

Shepards @ $1.39 each all Ct23-25. Fruit with a pack date of 10th April meaning fruit age 7 days. Predominantly Greenskins fruit, good quality and colour this week.
1kg Avocado nets on special at $4.49ea (Aldi Super Savers) and 5 piece packs priced at $4.99-5.49ea.

Below: Woolworths Displays from Indooroopilly, Garden City and Pimpama

Shepard avos in Ct23-25 primarily from Greenskins were retailing at $1.50ea. Packed date of 3rd-6th April meaning fruit was 11-14 days old.
Odd Bunch 1kg packs at $5.00ea and 5 piece packs at $5.50ea - both contained shepards.
Organic packs also in store this week, priced at $6.50ea.

BANANA OVERVIEW

🍌SUPPLY UPDATE

Transport figures for fruit harvested in Week 15 saw almost 398,000 cartons which was approximately 60,000 cartons more than the week prior. In relation to the weather in the far north, early A.M. temperatures have ranged 15.9 - 24.4 C across all major growing regions and day time temperatures have remained warmer ranging 25.5 - 29.8 C. There has been a significant decrease in terms of rainfall across the north regions this week with falls of 41.8 - 43.4mm across Mareeba and Walkamin; and also a decrease in falls across Innisfail and Tully regions of 7.2mm - 39.2mm throughout the week.

Retail ticket pricing in Queensland for cavendish bananas this week was as follows: Aldi’s banana ticket price at $3.99/kg; Woolies offered fruit at a ticket price of $4.00-4.50/kg; and Coles were offering fruit at $4.00-4.50/kg in the stores visited. Banana quality in stores varied greatly which is indicative of the growing conditions in recent months, but also handling practises throughout the supply chain - still seeing an increase in minor skin marking; a presence of sooty mould; minor neck injuries and .a mix in terms of bloom.

RETAIL SNAPSHOT OF BANANAS

Below: Coles Indooroopilly, Garden City and Pimpama

Cavendish were priced at $4.00-4.50/kg and Kids packs were at $4.00ea.
Lady Fingers were priced at $5.90/kg, Red Tips at $5.50/kg. Organic at $6.00/kg.
Quality varied from store to stores this week- findings of neck damage; dull fruit; minor skin marking and a few wounds.

Below: Aldi Indooroopilly, Garden City and Pimpama

Stores had Cavendish @ $3.99/kg - some very dull clusters with green colour.

Havana Bananas @ $4.99/kg this week.

Below: Woolworths Indooroopilly, Garden City and Pimpama

Woolworths had Cavendish bananas priced at $4.00-4.50/kg, Lil Sana kids banded clusters at $2.50. A few dull clusters, but generally speaking well presented, neat, well stocked, some iminro neck damage.
Lady fingers were priced at $5.90/kg, Red tips were priced at $5.50/kg and Organic Clusters at $6.00/kg.