QUICKLINKS

BANANA OVERVIEW

🍌SUPPLY UPDATE

Last week saw a total of some 395k cartons of Cavendish harvested and transported for Week 10 which was a slight increase on Week 9’s harvest of some 14k cartons. Over the last week in the far north, early A.M. temperatures have ranged 19.9 - 24.5 C across all major growing regions and day time temperatures have remained warmer ranging 27.1 - 30.9 C. There has been an increase in terms of rainfall in some regions this week with 27.0 - 43.7mm across Mareeba and Walkamin; and falls across Innisfail and Tully regions with 234.2mm - 329.0mm throughout the week all of which will continue to impact fruit quality and shelf life.

Retail ticket pricing in Queensland for cavendish bananas this week was 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. Banana quality in stores varied, most displays had good bloom, the impact of the weather is still being seen on shelf in the form of some heat stress and a presence of sooty mould on a few lines.

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 10, 2024 - The industry saw a 6.24% increase on the previous week’s harvest with a total of 469,976 tray equivalents harvested and transported (approx 29,000 more tray equivalents) on Week 9, 2024 production. The national harvest included 309,928 Shepard tray equivalents along with WA Hass variety supplying 159,719 tray equivalents together with 329 trays of assorted other varieties in this week’s reported figures. The total despatch this week of 469,976 tray equivalents saw approximately 103K in either bulk format/processing; almost 57K were exported which left just shy of 310K tray equivalents for the domestic market.

North QLD has well and truly taken lead production with the Shepard variety accounting for 56.52% of the total production volume this week, then Western Australia with Hass avocado supply accounting for 33.25%, a few shepards also coming from Central QLD accounting for a further 9.37%, and other varietals from Central NSW accounting for 0.59% and Tristate with 0.27%.

· It is forecast that a total of some 496,000 tray equivalents will be despatched this week (Week 11) nationally. This figure can be broken down by variety with the Shepard variety expected to represent some 326,000 tray equivalents whilst Hass will contribute approximately 144,000 of this total. Shepard harvest figures are expected to be increasing within a range of 326K to 372K over the next three weeks, whilst Hass harvest figures are forecast to be steadily declining from 144K this week down to 100K over the next three weeks. With the volume of hass still on the market, there have been retailers stocking both hass and shepard, and some who elect to only stock one or the other variety.

In terms of Avocado retail in the major supermarkets in Qld we saw shelf prices as follows - Aldi Shepards this week with shelf tickets at $1.49 each; Coles Qld had Shepard avocados ticketed at $1.50ea, and Woolworths were retailing dual lines also: WA Hass selling at $1.70ea and Greenskin Shepards at $1.50ea - albeit one anomaly at $1.00ea for Shepards which is believed to be a markdown; as the quality of the Greenskin Shepards on display was very ordinary.

AVOCADO SNAPSHOT

Left to Right: Top line Woolworths Hass & Shepard; Bottom line Aldi Shepard and Coles primarily Shepard Avocados in Queensland stores

STOCK IN STORES

QUICKLINKS

🍌Bananas at Woolworths

🥑Avocados at Woolworths

BANANAS AT ALDI

ALDI GARDEN CITY

A display of Cavendish Bananas ticketed at $3.99/kg. Minimal bruising- but majority green.
‘Havana Bananas’ priced at $4.99/kg - but minimal stock on display

ALDI CARINDALE

A display of Cavendish Bananas ticketed at $3.99/kg - a little dull.
No stock of Havana Bananas.

ALDI INDOOROOPILLY

Cavendish priced at $3.99/kg. Mackays Bananas.
All varying in colour and skin quality.
Havana Bananas priced at $4.99/kg - good quality at this store.

BANANAS AT COLES

COLES GARDEN CITY

Cavendish bananas displayed at $4.00/kg. Kids packs also priced at $4.00ea.
Red Tips $5.50/kg and Ladyfingers also on display for $5.90/kg. Organic at $6.00/kg - no stock.

COLES CARINDALE

Cavendish on display $4.00/kg - good colour - some quite bruised however.
Kids packs priced at $4.00ea.
Red Tips at $5.50/kg.
Lady Fingers $5.90/kg.

COLES INDOOROOPILLY

Cavendish priced at $4.00/kg. Kids packs at $4.00ea.
Red Tips at $5.50/kg, Lady Fingers at $5.90/kg and Organic variety at $6.00/kg.

BANANAS AT WOOLWORTHS

WOOLWORTHS CARINDALE

Cavendish priced at $4.00/kg. Kids packs at $2.50ea.
Red Tips at $5.50/kg, Lady Fingers on special at $8.00/kg and Organic variety at $6.00/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 and Lady Fingers on special at $8.00/kg. Organic at $6.00/kg.

WOOLWORTHS INDOOROOPILLY

Cavendish priced at $4.00/kg - Appropriate Eat Now and Eat Later display areas. Kids packs at $2.50ea.
Red Tips at $5.50/kg, Lady Fingers at $8.00/kg and Organic variety at $6.00/kg.

AVOCADOS AT ALDI