QUICKLINKS

AVOCADO OVERVIEW

🥑SUPPLY UPDATE

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

· Week 44, 2024 - The industry experienced a 4.42% increase in production on the previous week’s harvest with a total of 529,603 tray equivalents harvested and transported (approx 23,000 more tray equivalents) on Week 43, 2024 production. Despite the fact that this harvest number is stronger, almost 86,000 tray equivalents are only suitable as bulks /processing lines and almost 25,000 trays were exported leaving 419,000 for the domestic market.

Production across the country saw WA/NT continue their lead in production - accounting for 60.57% of the total volume, followed by NZ accounting for a further 18.90%, then Central NSW accounting for 14.60%, Tristate with 5.53% and finally Southern Queensland accounting for 0.41% of the total production for the week. Word on the market is that we should see SA supplies coming to an end late this week or next and once these are exhausted, market agents will be looking to strengthen their floor supplies with fruit from the west. Local weather conditions around the growing areas of Manjimup and Pemberton have seen cooler/overcast days this week with temps ranging in the early mornings between 5-9C and days warming up to 18/19C with between 1-11mm of rainfall on a daily basis, which is slowly the harvest task a little. Apart from the weather impacting volume, a number of farms in WA region are experiencing a degree of fruit drop which seems to be increasing their sense of urgency around harvest. This will no doubt put more pressure on supplies as we move closer to Christmas and if this continues we may be facing the very real possibility of very low supplies post Christmas. The understanding as to why this is occurring across a wide number of farms has been put down to the weather patterns in the preceding 10-12 month period whereby a very hot and lengthy summer have perhaps stressed the trees and hence why they are not holding the fruit for as long as expected.

· It is forecast that a total of some 503,000 tray equivalents will be despatched this week (Week 45) nationally, with the majority of these being hass. Production for the next three week period thereafter, is expected to fall within the range of 452 to 480K tray equivalents per week.

In terms of Avocado retailing in the major supermarkets in Qld this week we saw stable shelf prices as follows - Aldi’s Hass this week shelf tickets at $1.99 each featuring them in their weekly catalogue; Coles Qld stores visited had Hass avos at $2.50ea, and Woolworths Qld with Hass at $2.50ea.

Supermarket confirmed AVOCADO pricing……

Quoted Market pricing….

RETAIL SNAPSHOTS OF AVOCADOS

Below: Coles Displays from Chermside, Garden City and Carindale

Coles stores had both NZ Hass and Avocado Collective WA Hass in size 20-25 at $2.50ea. Australian fruit with packed on dates of 16th October - therefore fruit age was 20 days.
5 piece packs at $9.90ea and 1kg packs at $8.90ea. Organic at $3.80ea.

Below: Aldi Displays from Chermside, Garden City and Carindale

NZ Hass from @ $1.99ea all Ct23/25 and promoted in their weekly catalogue.
1kg Avocado nets at $7.99ea and 5 piece packs at $8.99ea.

Below: Woolworths Displays from Chermside, Garden City and Carindale

Mix of Australian and NZ Hass avos primarily in Ct20/23/25 on display were retailing at $2.50.
Odd Bunch 1kg packs at $8.90ea and 5 piece packs at $9.90ea. Organic packs at $7.90ea.

BANANA OVERVIEW

🍌SUPPLY UPDATE

National Banana transport figures for week 44 were up by 4.5% (17,675) on last week to a total of 406,539 cartons harvested for the week. Weather in the major growing regions saw less rain this week and warmer temps, particularly in the day with humidity on the increase as well. Temperatures in the far north have seen early A.M. temperatures fall within a range of 13.4 - 20.5 C across all major growing regions; and day time temperatures ranging 29.3 - 33.6 C. Rainfall in North Qld banana growing regions this week was as follows: Mareeba and Walkamin 0mm of rain; and Innisfail and Tully regions also 0mm of rain this week.

Quality is a still varied - visible on display are bat/bird marking; rub marking, and underripe fruit however bloom is slowly improving with each passing week. From our walks around the market and what has been seen on store shelves, we believe the worst of the dull winter fruit has almost come to an end and within the next fortnight, just perhaps we will be saying it is bloomin” bright!

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 $4.00-4.50/kg; and Coles were offering fruit at $4.50/kg in the stores visited.

RETAIL SNAPSHOT OF BANANAS

Below: Coles Chermside, Garden City and Carindale

Cavendish were priced at $4.50/kg. Also at $4.50/kg were the kids packs.
Red Tips at $5.90/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 Chermside, Garden City and Carindale

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 Chermside, Garden City and Carindale

Woolworths had Cavendish bananas priced at $4.00/kg, Lil Sana kids banded clusters at $3.50.
Red tips were at $5.90/kg and Organic Clusters at $6.50/kg. Ladyfingers were $8/kg.