QUICKLINKS

AVOCADO OVERVIEW

🥑SUPPLY UPDATE

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

· Week 38, 2024 - The industry experienced a 11.95% increase in production on the previous week’s harvest with a total of 489,753 tray equivalents harvested and transported (approx 50,000 more tray equivalents) on Week 37, 2024 production.

Production across the country saw WA/NT now definitely take the lead in production - accounting for 40.19% of the total volume, followed by Tristate accounting for a further 18.24%, then NZ accounting for 16.11%, CNSW with 14.54% and finally Southern Queensland and TNR with harvests accounting for 8.12% and 1.76% respectively of the total production for the week. In relation to the almost 490K tray equivalents this week approximately 70K were in the form of bulks/processing; a further 36K were exported which left 383K for domestic sale and consumption.

· It is forecast that a total of some 449,000 tray equivalents will be despatched this week (Week 39) nationally, with the majority of this obviously being hass. Production for the next three week period thereafter, is expected to fall within the range of 437 to 464K tray equivalents per week. Market pricing this week came back a little, still seeing good quality premium fruit fetching up to $40/$42/tray though main sales seem to be in the range of $36-$38/tray; whilst class one fruit has also come back a few dollars with trays selling $26-$30 - this has in part been caused by a slowing of the market with school holidays in progress in Queensland coinciding with an increase in production.

In terms of Avocado retailing in the major supermarkets in Qld this week we saw shelf prices as follows - Aldi’s Hass this week shelf tickets at $2.49 each; Coles Qld stores visited had Hass avos at $2.50ea, and Woolworths Qld with Hass at $2.50ea. Queensland is coming to the end of the two week September school holiday break - sales during this period have been somewhat slow as is replicated in the market system, so as we head back to school for the last term and head into warmer weather, we expect to see sales lift. With the AFL Grand Final this weekend, we see the commencement of the Victorian school holidays whereby we expect a quietening of market sales in this state, for the next two week period.

Or is it because they are sick of being squeezed??? We have to remind all our customers to gently press around the stem end to determine if an avocado is ready to eat, by squeezing the body we can cause damage to the flesh, in the form of bruising. Colour is also an excellent visual clue as to the condition of the fruit, a dull purple black skin colour is generally associated with a ripe piece.

Supermarket confirmed AVOCADO pricing……

Quoted Market pricing….

RETAIL SNAPSHOTS OF AVOCADOS

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

Coles stores had Hass - primarily NZ fruit on display, a little Australian carryover from previous day - in size 20-23 at $2.50ea.
5 piece packs at $8.00ea and 1kg packs at $8.00ea. Organic avocados at $3.80ea.

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

All Avolution sourced Hass from North Qld @ $2.49ea all Ct23/25.
1kg Avocado nets at $7.49ea and 5 piece packs at $7.49ea.

Below: Woolworths Displays from Browns Plains, Sunnybank Hills and Loganholme

Australian Hass avos primarily in Ct20/23/25 supplied by Tree-2-Me; Purpleskin; N&A all with supplied from Central Qld/NSW and a little NZ hass as well on display were retailing at $2.50.
Odd Bunch 1kg packs at $8.00ea and 5 piece packs at $8.00ea.

BANANA OVERVIEW

🍌SUPPLY UPDATE

Banana national figures for week 38 have decreased compared to week 37. Week 38 saw 389,799 cartons harvested and transported nationally, a 56,000 decrease in volume or 12.5% less on week 37. Weather patterns in the major growing regions have seen less rain and warmer temps this week. Temperatures in the far north have seen early A.M. temperatures fall within a range of 13.0 - 21.5 C across all major growing regions; and day time temperatures ranging 27.0 - 32.7 C. warmer than previous weeks. Rainfall in North Qld banana growing regions this week saw Mareeba and Walkamin experience 0mm of rain; and across Innisfail and Tully regions we saw also 0mm of rain this week. Markets have been rather messy over the last two weeks with the flush of fruit and falling prices, but with a lighter cut in the last week, this has provided a slight reprieve, so that by late this week we were starting to see the market tidy up a little.

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. Independents in the centres visited were found to be selling fruit at $1.99/kg up to $3.99/kg.

RETAIL SNAPSHOT OF BANANAS

Below: Coles Browns Plains, Sunnybank Hills and Loganholme

Cavendish were priced at $4.00/kg. Also at $4.00/kg were the kids packs.
Red Tips at $5.50/kg. Lady Fingers at $6.90/kg. Organic at $6.50/kg.
Most blooms were relatively good though a mix of duller fruit is present.

Below: Aldi Browns Plains, Sunnybank Hills and Loganholme

Stores had Cavendish @ $3.99/kg. Most with good colour, some minimal marking.

Havana Bananas back in some stores this week at $3.99/kg - good colour mostly, some stores with green fruit.

Below: Woolworths Browns Plains, Sunnybank Hills and Loganholme

Woolworths had Cavendish bananas priced at $4.00-4.50/kg, Lil Sana kids banded clusters at $3.50.
Red tips were at $5.50/kg and Organic Clusters at $6.50/kg. Ladyfingers were $8/kg.