QUICKLINKS

BANANA OVERVIEW

SUPPLY UPDATE

The national harvest for last week increased slightly to 411,197 cartons, representing a 2.18% increase on the week prior, just shy of 9,000 more cartons. Over the last week in the far north, early A.M. temperatures have ranged 19.4 - 23.5 C across all major growing regions and day time temperatures have remained warmer ranging 27.2 - 33.3 C. A slight increase in rainfall across the entire North Qld growing regions this week with Mareeba and Walkamin receiving 3.4-9.7mm; and falls across Innisfail and Tully with even more at 22.0-68.6mm which has been welcomed. The outlook for the next few weeks leading into Christmas is for harvestable quantities to remain steady with a steady decline in cut as usual in the last week and early New Year.

Retail ticket pricing in Queensland on cavendish bananas was 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 $4.00/kg. Banana quality in stores varied with findings of some minor bruising; light scarring and splitting peel noted within most supermarket displays.

BANANA SNAPSHOT

Left to Right: Aldi; Coles and Woolworths Cavendish Displays

AVOCADO OVERVIEW

SUPPLY UPDATE

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

· Week 47, 2023 - The industry saw a 9.86% increase on the previous week’s harvest with a total of 451,170 trays harvested and transported (approx 45,000 more tray equivalents) on Week 46, 2023 production. Hass variety supplying 337,348 tray equivalents harvested in addition to 3789 trays of assorted other varieties also in this week’s reported figures. Western Australia continues to lead production with 82.77% of the total volume this week, then NZ with 6.85%, Tristate with 5.26% and Central NSW with 5.04%. Whilst this may well sound like a significant amount of fruit, we need to dig down deeper into what represents the 451K trays. This week there was just over 60,000 bulk units packed which equates to approx. 110,000 trays and almost 58,000 trays exported, so this only leaves approximately 283,000 trays for the Australian domestic market.

· It is forecast that a total of 432K trays will be despatched this week (Week 48) nationally. Hass harvest figures forecast for the next two to three weeks thereafter are expected to range between 430K and 500K per week. In terms of Avocado retail pricing in Qld shelf prices were as follows - Aldi Qld Hass at $1.19ea ; Coles Qld had Hass ticketed at $1.30ea, and Woolworths had Hass selling at $1.20ea.

A little update on the growing conditions in WA recently… with higher than normal temperatures at this time of year, somewhat of a heatwave has already taken on toll on the new fruit set for the 2024/2025 season, with a number of farms reporting fruit drop in the realms of 30-60% which will significantly impact the size of next years crop.

For this weeks sales pricing please see the info below….

AVOCADO SNAPSHOT

Left to Right: Woolworths Hass; Aldi Hass and Coles Hass Avocados

STOCK IN STORES

QUICKLINKS

Bananas at Woolworths

Avocados at Woolworths

BANANAS AT ALDI

ALDI CARINDALE

A display of Cavendish Bananas ticketed at $3.99/kg.
Some cavendish with a tinge of green, multiple with splitting skin. Minimal bruising.
No Lady Fingers at this store this week.

ALDI GARDEN CITY

A display of Cavendish Bananas ticketed at $3.99/kg. This store had only half green fruit.

ALDI CANNON HILL

A display of Cavendish Bananas ticketed at $3.99/kg. This store also had fruit with splitting skin. Odd neck injury and bruising also found.
Lady Fingers at $5.99/kg. Most green.

BANANAS AT COLES

COLES CARINDALE

Cavendish bananas displayed at $4.00/kg. Kids packs also priced at $4.00ea.
Red Tips $5.50/kg, Lady Fingers $5.50/kg on special and Organic variety at $5.00/kg.
Low stock of ALL varieties.

COLES GARDEN CITY

Cavendish on display priced at $4.00/kg - good colour.
Kids packs priced at $4.00ea.
Red Tips at $4.50/kg and Lady Fingers $7.90/kg.

COLES CANNON HILL

Cavendish bananas displayed at $4.00/kg - the best colour was this store this week. Kids packs also priced at $4.00ea.
Red Tips $4.50/kg, Lady Fingers $5.50/kg on special and Organic variety at $5.00/kg.

BANANAS AT WOOLWORTHS

WOOLWORTHS CARINDALE

Cavendish priced at $4.00/kg - Eat Now and Eat Later display areas. Kids packs at $3.50ea.
Red Tips at $5.50/kg and Lady Fingers at $6.00/kg - both needed refilling.
Organic variety priced at $4.20/kg.

WOOLWORTHS GARDEN CITY

A very neat display of Cavendish priced at $4.00/kg. Kids packs at $2.50ea.
Red Tips at $5.50/kg. Lady Fingers at $6.00/kg a couple of full fingers. This section of varieties were green and bruised, looked old.

WOOLWORTHS CANNON HILL

Cavendish bananas displayed at $4.50/kg. Kids packs also priced at $3.50ea.
Red Tips $5.50/kg, Lady Fingers $6.00/kg bronzing found on some clusters and Organic variety at $6.00/kg.