QUICKLINKS

AVOCADO OVERVIEW

🥑SUPPLY UPDATE

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

· Week 16, 2024 - The industry saw a 4.63% increase on the previous week’s harvest with a total of 650,897 tray equivalents harvested and transported (approx 30,000 more tray equivalents) on Week 15, 2024 production. The national harvest included 470,199 Shepard tray equivalents along with WA Hass variety supplying 152,880 tray equivalents together with 27,388 trays of assorted other varieties in this week’s reported figures.

Production across the country has somewhat evened out with North QLD Shepard variety accounting for 43.56% of the total production volume this week, Central Queensland accounting for a further 39.63%, then Western Australia with supply accounting for 16.69% and other varietals from Tristate accounting for 0.09% and SC with 0.02%.

· It is forecast that a total of some 530,000 tray equivalents will be despatched this week (Week 17) nationally. This figure can be broken down by variety with the Shepard variety expected to represent some 320,000 tray equivalents whilst Hass will contribute approximately 202,000 of this total. Shepard harvest figures are expected within a range of 160K to 190K over the next three weeks, gradually declining as the harvest of north Qld and central Qld hass takes the foreground.

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 99c each; Coles Qld had Shepard avocados ticketed at $1.00ea, and Woolworths with Greenskin Shepards at $1.20ea. Coles also had Autumn hass avocados on display, competitively priced at $1.00ea also.

RETAIL SNAPSHOTS OF AVOCADOS

Below: Coles Displays from Coomera, Garden City and Runaway Bay

Coles stores had Shepards on display in size 20-25 at $1.00ea.
Stores also had Autumn Hass avocados priced at $1.00ea.
5 piece packs at $4.50ea and 1kg packs at $5.00ea.

Below: Aldi Displays from Coomera, Garden City and Runaway Bay

Shepards @ 99c each all Ct23-25. Fruit with a pack date of 18th April meaning fruit age 6 days. Predominantly Greenskins fruit, good quality and colour this week.
1kg Avocado nets on special at $3.99ea (Aldi Super Savers) and 5 piece packs priced at $5.49ea.

Below: Woolworths Displays from Coomera, Garden City and Runaway Bay

Shepard avos in Ct20-25 primarily from Greenskins were retailing at $1.20ea.
Odd Bunch 1kg packs at $4.50ea and 5 piece packs at $5.00ea - both contained shepards.

BANANA OVERVIEW

🍌SUPPLY UPDATE

Waiting on transport figures but over the last week in the far north, early A.M. temperatures have ranged 17.6 - 23.3 C across all major growing regions and day time temperatures have remained warmer ranging 24.3 - 29.9 C. There has been a significant decrease in terms of rainfall across the north regions this week with falls of 0.2 - 6.2mm across Mareeba and Walkamin; and also a decrease in falls across Innisfail and Tully regions of 23.2mm - 26.8mm 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/kg; and Coles were offering fruit at $4.00/kg in the stores visited. Banana quality in stores still varied which remains indicative of the growing conditions in recent months, but also handling practises throughout the supply chain.

RETAIL SNAPSHOT OF BANANAS

Below: Coles Coomera, Garden City and Runaway Bay

Cavendish were priced at $4.00-4.50/kg depending upon store location 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 dull fruit; minor skin marking and a few wounds.

Below: Aldi Coomera, Garden City and Runaway Bay

Stores had Cavendish @ $3.99/kg.

Havana Bananas @ $4.99/kg this week.

Below: Woolworths Coomera, Garden City and Runaway Bay

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