QUICKLINKS

AVOCADO OVERVIEW

🥑SUPPLY UPDATE

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

· Week 18, 2024 - The industry saw a 0.17% decrease on the previous week’s harvest with a total of 470,764 tray equivalents harvested and transported (approx 800 less tray equivalents) on Week 17, 2024 production. The national harvest included 175,939 Shepard tray equivalents along with Hass variety supplying 294,657 tray equivalents together with 168 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 51.74% of the total production volume this week, Central Queensland accounting for a further 41.65% (Shepard and hass), then Western Australia with supply accounting for 6.58% (primarily Hass) and other varietals from CNSW with 0.04%.

· It is forecast that a total of some 419,000 tray equivalents will be despatched this week (Week 19) nationally. This figure can be broken down by variety with the Shepard variety expected to represent some 47,000 tray equivalents whilst Hass will contribute approximately 358,000 of this total. Shepard harvest figures are expected to be gradually declining in volume as their season is coming to an end by mid to late May, forecast for the next three weeks to be within a range of 17K down to zero tray equivalents over the next three weeks.

In terms of Avocado retail in the major supermarkets in Qld we saw shelf prices as follows - Aldi Shepards this week with shelf tickets at 89c each; Coles Qld had Shepard avocados ticketed at 90c ea, and Woolworths with Greenskin Shepards also at $1.00-1.20ea. Coles also had Autumn avocados on display, competitively priced at $1.50ea.

RETAIL SNAPSHOTS OF AVOCADOS

Below: Coles Displays from Sunnybank Hills, Calamvale and Ipswich

Coles stores had Shepards on display in size 25 at 90c ea.
Stores also had Autumn Hass avocados priced at $1.50ea.
5 piece packs at $3.90ea and 1kg packs at $4.00ea.

Below: Aldi Displays from Sunnybank Hills, Drewvale and Ipswich

Shepards @ 89c each all Ct23. 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 $4.99ea.

Below: Woolworths Displays from Sunnybank Hills, Calamvale and Ipswich

Shepard avos in Ct20-25 primarily from Greenskins were retailing at $1.00-1.20ea.
Odd Bunch 1kg packs at $5.00ea and 5 piece packs at $4.50ea - both contained shepards. Multiple prepacks contained significantly damaged fruit.

BANANA OVERVIEW

🍌SUPPLY UPDATE

The industry transport figures have been a little late in their release. What we can confirm is the weather patterns for the last week in the far north, early A.M. temperatures have ranged 17.3 - 22.6 C across all major growing regions and day time temperatures have remained warmer ranging 25.0 - 28.5 C. There has been a slight decrease in terms of rainfall across the regions of Mareeba and Walkamin with falls of 0 - 1.2mm; whilst another slight increase in the level of rain falls across Innisfail and Tully regions of 74.8mm - 86.8mm throughout the week. Similar weather patterns have been in existence now for several months.

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 with the main defects being still minor neck damage, sooty/blotchy mould and minor skin marking. Stores continue to have signage with regards to these defects being indicative of the growing conditions across the country.

RETAIL SNAPSHOT OF BANANAS

Below: Coles Sunnybank Hills, Calamvale and Ipswich

Cavendish were priced at $4.00/kg and Kids packs were at $4.00ea.
Lady Fingers were priced at $5.90/kg, Red Tips at $5.50/kg.
Variety of growers supplying this store.

Below: Aldi Sunnybank Hills, Drewvale and Ipswich

Stores had Cavendish @ $3.99/kg.

Havana Bananas @ $3.49/kg this week.

Below: Woolworths Sunnybank Hills, Calamvale and Ipswich

Woolworths had Cavendish bananas priced at $4.00/kg, Lil Sana kids banded clusters at $2.50.
Lady fingers were priced at $5.90/kg, Red tips were back at $5.50/kg and Organic Clusters at $6.00/kg.