QUICKLINKS

AVOCADO OVERVIEW

🥑SUPPLY UPDATE

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

· Week 24, 2024 - The industry saw a 3.26% decrease on the previous week’s harvest with a total of 471,212 tray equivalents harvested and transported (approx 10,000 less tray equivalents) on Week 23, 2024 production. The national harvest included Hass variety supplying 406,933 tray equivalents along with 37,704 trays (inc GMax) of assorted other varieties in this week’s reported figures.

Production across the country saw a Central Queensland resume the lead in production accounting for 52.17% of the total volume, North Queensland accounting for a further 45.97%, then trickles from Southern Queensland accounting for 1.23%, Sunshine Coast with 0.26% and finally Central NSW for 0.19%.

· It is forecast that a total of some 461,000 tray equivalents will be despatched this week (Week 25) nationally. This figure can be broken down by variety with the Hass to contribute approximately 438,000 of this total whilst the Shepard variety expected to diminish to zero tray equivalents and some 22,000 tray equivalents of other varietals (inc GMax) of this total. The focus continues to be upon the popular Hass varietal. Production in the next three week window is expected to range between 420 to 454K tray equivalents per week - keeping in mind that a portion of the stated volumes will be exported and a portion will be in a bulk format.

In terms of Avocado retail in the major supermarkets in Qld we saw shelf prices as follows - Aldi Hass this week with shelf tickets at $1.29 each (Aldi Super Savers); Coles Qld had Hass avocados ticketed at $1.50ea, and Woolworths with Purpleskin and Simpson supplied Hass at $1.50ea and GMAX avos (larger sizes 14/16/18) at $2.50ea.

RETAIL SNAPSHOTS OF AVOCADOS

Below: Coles Displays from Stafford, Lutwyche and Chermside

Coles stores had Hass on display in size 20-25 at $1.50ea and GMAX at $2.50ea.
5 piece packs at $6.50ea and 1kg packs at $4.90ea.
Organic avos at $4.00ea.

Below: Aldi Displays from Stafford, Lutwyche and Chermside

Purpleskin Hass @ $1.29 each all Ct23/25 on special.
1kg Avocado nets at $4.49ea and 3 piece GMAX packs at $5.99ea. 5 piece packs at $5.19ea.

Below: Woolworths Displays from Stafford, Lutwyche and Chermside

Hass avos in Ct20 primarily from Purpleskins and Simpsons were retailing between $1.50/$1.70/$1.80ea depending upon store visited. Greenskin GMAX avos on display this week for $2.50ea.
Odd Bunch 1kg packs at $5.50ea and 5 piece packs at $6.00ea.

BANANA OVERVIEW

🍌SUPPLY UPDATE

Industry transport figures for the previous harvest ie week 24 was 381,245 ctns which represents a drop of some 25,000 cartons on Week 23 harvest. The weather patterns for the last week in the far north have seen early A.M. temperatures dropping with a range of 9.0 - 14.5 C across all major growing regions and day time temperatures have remained warmer ranging 24.2 - 29.5 C. With temperatures starting to dip below 10C we have seen the occurrence of some underpeel discolouration, will only be mild at this stage but if we experience repeated cold days this is when the damage becomes heightened. There has been very minimal rainfall across most of the North Qld banana growing regions this week with Mareeba and Walkamin 0.2mm falls and only of 0 to 0.8mms across Innisfail and Tully regions - this pattern is expected at this time of year.

Retail ticket pricing in Queensland for cavendish bananas has remained stable this week with pricing 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, some stores having more significant damage on the varieties other than cavendish.

RETAIL SNAPSHOT OF BANANAS

Below: Coles Stafford, Lutwyche and Chermside

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.
Organic at $6.00/kg.

Below: Aldi Stafford, Lutwyche and Chermside

Stores had Cavendish @ $3.99/kg.

Havana Bananas back in some stores this week at $4.99/kg.

Below: Woolworths Stafford, Lutwyche and Chermside

Woolworths had Cavendish bananas priced at $4.00/kg, Lil Sana kids banded clusters at $3.50-4.00.
Lady fingers were priced at $5.90/kg, Red tips were back at $5.50/kg and Organic Clusters at $6.00/kg.