QUICKLINKS

AVOCADO OVERVIEW

🥑SUPPLY UPDATE

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

· Week 4, 2025 - The industry experienced a 20.37% decrease in production on the previous week’s harvest with a total of 382,365 tray equivalents harvested and transported (approx 98,000 less tray equivalents) on Week 3, 2024 production.

Production across the country saw WA/NT continue their lead in production - accounting for 70.91% of the total volume, followed by NZ accounting for a further 18.94%, then Central NSW accounting for 5.09%, and lastly Tristate with 4.82% of the total production for the week.

· It is forecast that a total of some 446,000 tray equivalents will be dispatched this week (Week 5) nationally, with the majority of these being Hass combined with a light start to the NQ Shepard Avocado season. Production for the next three week period thereafter, is expected to fall within the range of 334 to 440K tray equivalents per week. We have seen the first trickle of Shepard avocados arrive on the Brisbane market this week, not a lot of volume at this stage and as such, pricing is a little difficult to gauge with the volume of WA and NZ hass still on the market. As supplies of Hass decline over the next fortnight to three weeks on the east coast, demand will lift for the new season Shepard. Supermarket supplies on shelf are expected to commence from around 18th-25th February, so we expect more Shepards to be harvested over the next two - three weeks to meet ripening programme requirements. Please ensure fruit from all farms/blocks have been submitted for dry matter testing before harvesting commences and that you test a range of sizes, including smaller sizes fruit which is used in the prepacks, to ensure what we do harvest is exceeding minimum dry matter requirements for our customers positive eating experience. Please forward all dry matter test results to: patti@rockridgefresh.com.au so that these can be uploaded to the supermarket portals.

Note: With the volume of rain currently being experienced in far north Queensland as a result of the Tropical Low this week and across the coming weekend, it becomes very important that dry matter testing is undertaken just prior to any planned harvesting next week, trees and fruit take up more water which in turn tends to result in a reduced dry matter test result whereby fruit that was reading 21.9% last week; will perhaps fall just under the acceptable 21% as a result of the incremental weather.

In terms of Avocado retailing in the major supermarkets in Qld this week we saw relatively stable shelf prices as follows - Aldi’s Hass this week shelf tickets at $2.99 each; Coles Qld stores visited had Hass avos at $3.50ea, and Woolworths Qld with Hass at $3.20ea.

Supermarket confirmed AVOCADO pricing……

Quoted Market pricing….

RETAIL SNAPSHOTS OF AVOCADOS

Below: Coles Displays from Sunnybank Hills, Fairfield and Garden City

Coles stores had both NZ and WA Hass in size 20-25 at $3.50ea.
5 piece packs at $10.90ea and 1kg packs at $9.90ea. Organic at $4.50ea.

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

NZ Hass from @ $2.79-2.99ea all Ct23/25.
1kg Avocado nets at $8.99ea and 5 piece packs at $9.99ea.

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

Mix of Australian and NZ Hass avos primarily in Ct20/23/25 on display were retailing at $3.20. Fruit packed 6th to 9th Jan making fruit age 20-23 days old.
Odd Bunch 1kg packs at $9.90ea and 5 piece packs at $9.90ea.

BANANA OVERVIEW

🍌SUPPLY UPDATE

National Banana transport figures for week 4 were a whopping 558,596 cartons which is 45K cartons up on last week and one of the highest weeks of production since 2021. Weather patterns in the major growing regions included continued warm temperatures and rain this week perfect for banana growing. Temperatures in the far north have seen early A.M. temperatures fall within a range of 19.1 - 25.2 C across all major growing regions; and day time temperatures ranging 26.8 - 31.8 C. Rainfall in North Qld banana growing regions this week with the presence of a Tropical Low off the coast has been rather heavy as follows: Mareeba and Walkamin 2.4 - 64.4mm of rain daily with Mareeba receiving 133mm for the week from Monday 27th Jan; and Innisfail and Tully regions with a 14.5-211.8mm/day with Innisfail receiving a total of 400.6mm and Tully receiving 500.8mm for the week thus far up to 12 noon today, 31st Jan. Whilst today’s rainfall was definitely much lighter there is concern that more rain has been forecast for the weekend and with a swelling of local waterways there is a strong possibility for flooding of roads and major highways which may impact the distribution of produce south.

Quality is consistent with mostly good colour and minimal skin marking - some rust thrip damage, minor rub damage etc seen this week.

Retail ticket pricing in Queensland for cavendish bananas see’s all the major chains with a BACK TO SCHOOL SPECIAL with pricing as follows: Aldi’s banana ticket price at $2.79/kg; Woolies offered fruit at a ticket price of $2.50/kg (also have taken a feature advertisement on television); and Coles were offering fruit at $2.50/kg in the stores visited. Best in show was definitely Woolies.

RETAIL SNAPSHOT OF BANANAS

Below: Coles Sunnybank Hills, Fairfield and Garden City

Cavendish were priced at $2.50/kg. $3.00/kg were the kids packs.
Red Tips at $5.90/kg. Lady Fingers at $6.90/kg. Organic at $6.50/kg.

Below: Aldi Sunnybank Hills, Fairfield and Garden City

Stores had Cavendish @ $2.79/kg. Most with good colour, some minimal marking.

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

Below: Woolworths Sunnybank Hills, Fairfield and Garden City

Woolworths had Cavendish bananas priced at $2.50/kg, Lil Sana kids banded clusters at $3.00.
Red tips were at $5.90/kg and Organic Clusters at $6.50/kg. Ladyfingers were $6.90 to $8/kg.