QUICKLINKS

AVOCADO OVERVIEW

🥑SUPPLY UPDATE

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

· Week 27, 2024 - The industry saw a 3.63% decrease on the previous week’s harvest with a total of 404,437 tray equivalents harvested and transported (approx 15,000 less tray equivalents) on Week 26, 2024 production. The national harvest included Hass variety supplying 399,730 tray equivalents along with 4,707 trays (inc GMax) of assorted other varieties in this week’s reported figures. It is worthwhile noting that of the 404,437 tray equivalents: some 124K came in the form of bulks for prepacking and processing; 55K were exported leaving 224K for domestic sale.

Production across the country saw North Queensland in the lead in production accounting for 49.67% of the total volume, Central Queensland accounting for a further 42.44%, then trickles from Southern Queensland accounting for 4.26%, Central NSW with 1.42% and finally WA/NT, Sunshine Coast and TNR for 1.21%; 0.69% and 0.32% respectively.

· It is forecast that a total of some 409,000 tray equivalents will be despatched this week (Week 28) nationally. This figure can be broken down by variety with the Hass to contribute approximately 409,000 tray equivalents of this total and some 100 tray equivalents of other varietals (inc GMax) of this total. Production figures for the next two to three period after this week are forecast to be reducing in volume from 396K down to 330K tray equivalents per week, including bulks/export/domestic volumes.

In terms of Avocado retail in the major supermarkets in Qld and Adelaide this week we saw shelf prices as follows - Aldi Hass this week with shelf tickets at $1.79 each; Coles Qld stores visited had Hass avos at $1.90ea, and Woolworths Qld with Purpleskin and Simpson supplied Hass at $2.00ea and GMAX (Qld stores only) avos (larger sizes 14/16/18) at $2.90ea. A number of the Gmax this week were found to have lenticel damage and were starting to show signs of breakdown.

RETAIL SNAPSHOTS OF AVOCADOS

Below: Coles Displays from Carindale, Sunnybank Hills and Browns Plains

Coles stores had Hass on display in size 20-25 at $1.90-2.00ea and GMAX at $2.50ea.
5 piece packs at $4.90ea and 1kg packs at $5.50ea.
Organic avos at $3.80ea.

Below: Aldi Displays from Carindale, Sunnybank Hills and Browns Plains

Avolution supplied Hass @ $1.79 each all Ct23/25.
1kg Avocado nets at $3.79ea 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, Sunnybank Hills and Browns Plains

Hass avos in Ct23-25 primarily from Purpleskins and Simpsons were retailing at $2.00ea. Ct16/18 Greenskin GMAX avos on display this week for $2.90ea a number of which had heavy lenticel and evidence of body rots developing.
Odd Bunch 1kg packs at $5.00ea and 5 piece packs at $4.90ea.

BANANA OVERVIEW

🍌SUPPLY UPDATE

Banana industry transport figures for fruit harvested in Week 27 saw a result just marginally smaller than Week 26 production at 372,684 cartons nationally. The weather patterns for the last week in the far north have seen early A.M. temperatures fall within a range of 13.6 - 20.7 C across all major growing regions, a touch warmer than last week; and day time temperatures have also remained warmer ranging 21.5 - 26.3 C but with overcast skies and rainfall. Most of the North Qld banana growing regions had rain this week with Mareeba and Walkamin experiencing falls of 0.8-5.3mm and 131 - 182mms fell across Innisfail and Tully regions. With overcast skies and cool temperatures overnight, we will continue to see the impact on fruit bloom and also resulting in slower growth rates pushing bunch age out.

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 has started to be impacted by the activity of birds/bats across the growing regions. This shouldn’t come as a surprise at this time of year, with the seasonality of plants and colder weather, normal flowering/blossoming plants are less productive and regrettably the birds and bats are drawn to our banana plants. Whilst the practice of bagging helps to protect the fruit from scratching to some extent, it does not provide full protection. Another shortcoming of winter is that with the cooler/overcast days we expect to seeing a dulling of fruit bloom, this is noticeable in stores, to varying degrees, and can be expected through until at least November.

RETAIL SNAPSHOT OF BANANAS

Below: Coles Carindale, Sunnybank Hills and Browns Plains

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, Sunnybank Hills and Browns Plains

Stores had Cavendish @ $3.99/kg.

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

Below: Woolworths Carindale, Sunnybank Hills and Browns Plains

Woolworths had Cavendish bananas priced at $4.00/kg, Lil Sana kids banded clusters at $2.50.
Lady fingers were priced at $8.00/kg, Red tips were at $5.50/kg and Organic Clusters at $6.00/kg.