QUICKLINKS

BANANA OVERVIEW

SUPPLY UPDATE

The national banana cut last week was still in recovery mode post the tropical low, known as Cyclone Niran, with a increase of 5.2% on the previous week which equated to an additional 18,149 cartons, meaning the total was just nudging over 364,000. National production is expected to be within the range of 380-400K cartons next week. The weather in the past week has been milder with minimum temperatures ranging 18.5 - 22.7C and maximum day temps of 29.8 to 31.4C. There was definitely less rain in the far north with just a few light showers mainly in the Innisfail and Tully regions, though Walkamin did have a storm early in the week.

Quality on shelf this week was again disappointing with grey to bronzed dull, marked fruit being a common finding - this is most likely as a result of recent weather conditions. On our own farms, we continue to grade heavily for bat scratching with this issue expected for another three to four weeks. Waste relating to grade outs of bat marked fruit continues to be in the vicinity of 30-35% of each days pack out - we will continue to be vigilant in this respect to ensure inclusion in our carton is kept to an acceptable level.

Retail ticket pricing in Queensland for cavendish varied between the major supermarkets with Aldi offering fruit at $3.29/kg; Woolworths at $3.30 to $3.90/kg and Coles offering fruit at $3.50 to $3.90/kg dependent upon the store locality. As already stated, quality varied greatly with a number of lines having visible skin marking including bat scratching, sap staining, rust thrip damage, neck injuries and rub marking.

BANANA SNAPSHOT

Left to Right: Woolworths, Aldi and Coles Cavendish Displays

AVOCADO OVERVIEW

SUPPLY UPDATE

North Qld maintains the lead in production with their Shepard season accounting for 79% of total production last week; followed by Central Qld with 17%; with the remaining 4% coming from Central NSW and New Zealand. Pricing has continued its downward trend as volumes increases in the market place. Australian Shepard main sales for premium are in the range of $26 -$34/tray. Pricing for class one fruit (main sales) is ranging $18 --$22 per tray; whilst the bulk market has been experiencing prices for premium in the range of $40 --$45/ctn and for class one and 2nds $10 --$30/ctn.

North Qld Shepard avocados are expected to again increase in numbers this coming week with a forecast of 270,000 trays from the region. In fact the forecast for the next two week period has the tray volume starting to decline slightly with 250,000 expected each week. Presentation in stores this week was again generally good with fruit having good shape and glossy skins. A number of farms, including our own, have had issues with spotting bug, despite implementing preventative spraying programmes as well as control spraying as populations have been detected. We have reset our grading cameras and trained staff in detection, in an effort to remove as many affected pieces as possible.

The availability of suitably sized Australian Shepards for formulation of prepacks is seeing both the 5 pack options and 1kg bags starting to be stocked on supermarket shelves. All major supermarkets now have their 5 or 6 piece prepack offers filled with shepards. Both Coles and Woolworths have 1kg options on offer with respective Ïm Perfect or Odd Bunch also filled with shepard avocados.

In terms of Shepard retail pricing in Qld shelf prices were as follows: Aldi Qld price was a competitive $1.79 per piece; Woolworths Qld had prominently positioned instore displays of Shepards ticketed at $2.00 ea whilst Coles in Qld had Shepards with a ticket of 2 for $4.00 or $2.20 singularly. The majority of fruit was of sound quality, odd findings of skin marking and a low level of lenticel damage.

AVOCADO SNAPSHOT

Left to Right: Woolworths Shepards, Aldi Shepards and Coles Shepards Avocados

STOCK IN STORES

QUICKLINKS

Bananas at Woolworths

Avocados at Woolworths

BANANAS AT ALDI

ALDI SPRINGWOOD

Cavendish Bananas were priced at $3.29/kg - a degree of minor skin marking as well as at least one-third of the fruit spotting as well as multiple dull clusters.
The fruit was all quite ripe

ALDI IPSWICH

Cavendish bananas at $3.29 - mixed condition and again stacking of fruit causes more skin damage

ALDI BROWNS PLAINS

Had Cavendish bananas at $3.29/kg, 50-70% of fruit was quite backward; one third of display appeared to be carried fruit as it was spotting and quite marked.

BANANAS AT COLES

COLES SPRINGWOOD

Cavendish bananas were displayed at $3.90, Lady Fingers at $7.90 and kids packs at $3.90
Both varieties had some backward fruit and minor skin marking

COLES IPSWICH

Cavendish bananas priced at $3.50/kg, marked fruit on display, some clusters with wounds.
Kids packs were priced at $3.90
Lady Fingers - priced at $7.90/kg

COLES BROWNS PLAINS

Cavendish priced at $3.50/kg - a few clusters questionable being very dull or quite visibly marked.
This Coles store also had kids clusters priced at $3.50/kg - again fruit very dull.

BANANAS AT WOOLWORTHS

WOOLWORTHS SPRINGWOOD

Cavendish bananas priced at $3.90/kg. Good colour and generally good bloom (odd cluster will dull bloom), light skin marking, some backward fruit.
Lady Fingers at $7.90 with good colour

WOOLWORTHS IPSWICH

Cavendish bananas at $3.30/kg - odd cluster with light bat marking

Ladyfingers at $7.90/kg - fairly clean fruit
Kids packs at $3.30, needed a refill

WOOLWORTHS BROWNS PLAINS

Cavendish were priced at $3.30/kg, some with marking
Red tips were at $3.90 of better quality than other stores visited, Lady Fingers at $7.90 half of the display was slightly backward but fruit appearance was generally clean (odd cluster with rust thrip marking) and kids packs at $3.30 but no stock on display

AVOCADOS AT ALDI