QUICKLINKS

AVOCADO OVERVIEW

🥑SUPPLY UPDATE

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

· Week 25, 2024 - The industry saw a 6.16% decrease on the previous week’s harvest with a total of 442,208 tray equivalents harvested and transported (approx 30,000 less tray equivalents) on Week 24, 2024 production. The national harvest included Hass variety supplying 421,873 tray equivalents along with 1,784 Shepard tray equivalents together with 18,551 trays (inc GMax) of assorted other varieties in this week’s reported figures. It is important to continue to monitor how this total production is split to understand true volumes on the market. Of the total 442K tray equivalent there were approximately 70K trays exported; 125K tray equivalents packed as bulks used in prepacks or processing which leaves approximately 247K tray equivalents for domestic supply.

Production across the country saw a Central Queensland maintain the lead in production accounting for 50.49% of the total volume, North Queensland accounting for a further 46.21%, then trickles from Southern Queensland accounting for 2.71%, Central NSW with 0.31% and finally Sunshine Coast for 0.21%.

· It is forecast that a total of some 454,000 tray equivalents will be despatched this week (Week 26) nationally. This figure can be broken down by variety with the Hass to contribute approximately 436,000 tray equivalents of this total and some 18,000 tray equivalents of other varietals (inc GMax) of this total. The focus continues to be upon the popular Hass varietal. Production for the next two to three week period is expected to be ranging 436K down to 420K tray equivalents/week. With this reducing supply, market pricing is expected to lift next week. The returns on bulk fruit is relatively unchanged as these lines are plentiful, hence why we are seeing a number of the major supermarkets with prepack lines on special. Both premium trays and class one trays (select sizes) are experiencing an uplift in price and this strengthening is expected to continue next week.

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 $1.49 each; Coles Qld had Hass avocados ticketed at $1.80ea, 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 Carindale, Garden City and Sunnybank Hills

Coles stores had Hass on display in size 20-25 at $1.80ea and GMAX at $2.50ea. Gmax exhibiting a prolific presence of lentical damage, a few pieces found with body rot.
5 piece packs at $4.90ea and 1kg packs at $4.50ea.
Organic avos at $3.80ea.

Below: Aldi Displays from Carindale, Garden City and Sunnybank Hills

Avolution supplied Hass @ $1.49 each all Ct23/25.
1kg Avocado nets at $3.99ea on PROMO and featured in the Aldi Catalogue this week and 3 piece GMAX packs at $5.99ea. 5 piece packs at $5.49ea.

Below: Woolworths Displays from Carindale, Garden City and Sunnybank Hills

Hass avos in Ct20 primarily from Purpleskins and Simpsons were retailing at $1.50ea. Greenskin GMAX avos on display this week for $2.50ea.
Odd Bunch 1kg packs at $5.00ea and 5 piece packs at $6.00ea.

BANANA OVERVIEW

🍌SUPPLY UPDATE

Banana industry transport figures for last week were just over 383K cartons, a small increase of 2000 cartons on the previous week. The weather patterns for the last week in the far north have seen early A.M. temperatures dropping with a range of 12.1 - 20.8 C across all major growing regions, a touch warmer than last week; and day time temperatures have also remained warmer ranging 22.0 - 27.0 C. 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 5 - 6mms across Innisfail and Tully regions - these patterns are usual for this time of the 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 Carindale, Garden City and Sunnybank Hills

Cavendish were priced at $4.00/kg and Kids packs were at $4.00ea.
Lady Fingers were priced at $7.90/kg, Red Tips at $5.50/kg.
Organic at $6.00/kg.

Below: Aldi Carindale, Garden City and Sunnybank Hills

Stores had Cavendish @ $3.99/kg.

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

Below: Woolworths Carindale, Garden City and Sunnybank Hills

Woolworths had Cavendish bananas priced at $4.00/kg, Lil Sana kids banded clusters at $3.50.
Lady fingers were priced at $5.90/kg, Red tips were at $4.90/kg and Organic Clusters at $6.00/kg.