QUICKLINKS

BANANA OVERVIEW

🍌SUPPLY UPDATE

Waiting on transport figures to be released for the last week’s harvest but over the last week in the far north, early A.M. temperatures have ranged 17.6 - 23.3 C across all major growing regions and day time temperatures have remained warmer ranging 24.3 - 29.9 C. There has been a significant decrease in terms of rainfall across the north regions this week with falls of 0.2 - 6.2mm across Mareeba and Walkamin; and a similar level of rain falls across Innisfail and Tully regions of 23.2mm - 26.8mm throughout the week.

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 still varied with the main defects present is minor neck damage, sooty mould, sap stains and minor skin marking which remains indicative of the growing conditions in recent months, but also handling practises throughout the supply chain.

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 16, 2024 - The industry saw a 4.63% increase on the previous week’s harvest with a total of 650,897 tray equivalents harvested and transported (approx 30,000 more tray equivalents) on Week 15, 2024 production. The national harvest included 470,199 Shepard tray equivalents along with WA Hass variety supplying 152,880 tray equivalents together with 27,388 trays of assorted other varieties in this week’s reported figures.

Production across the country has somewhat evened out with North QLD Shepard variety accounting for 43.56% of the total production volume this week, Central Queensland accounting for a further 39.63% (Shepard and hass), then Western Australia with supply accounting for 16.69% (primarily Hass) and other varietals from Tristate accounting for 0.09% and SC with 0.02%.

· It is forecast that a total of some 530,000 tray equivalents will be despatched this week (Week 17) nationally. This figure can be broken down by variety with the Shepard variety expected to represent some 320,000 tray equivalents whilst Hass will contribute approximately 202,000 of this total. Shepard harvest figures are expected to be gradually declining in volume as their season is coming to an end, forecast for the next three weeks to be within a range of 190K down to 16K tray equivalents over the next three weeks.

In terms of Avocado retail in the major supermarkets in Qld we saw stable shelf prices as follows - Aldi Shepards this week with shelf tickets at 99c each; Coles Qld had Shepard avocados ticketed at $1.00ea, and Woolworths with Greenskin Shepards also at $1.20ea. Coles also had Autumn avocados on display, competitively priced at $1.00ea also.

AVOCADO SNAPSHOT

Left to Right: Woolworths Shepard; Aldi Shepard and Coles 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 - better colour this week, though still seeing some sooty mould on clusters, some minor neck injuries and sap staining.
Havana bananas were back this week, priced at $4.49/kg.
Bananas included in the ‘fruit highlight’ in this week’s catalogue.

ALDI RUNAWAY BAY

Cavendish Bananas priced at $3.99/kg.
Havana bananas at $4.99/kg- green this week.
All fruit had some level of bruising this week, some with considerable damage compared to others.

BANANAS AT COLES

COLES COOMERA

Cavendish bananas displayed at 4.50/kg.
Kids packs also priced at $4.50ea.
Ladyfingers on display for $5.90/kg.
Clean and good coloured fruit at this store, although 50c more expensive.

COLES GARDEN CITY

Cavendish on display $4.00/kg, mostly good colour.
Kids packs priced at $4.00ea - some green hands.
Red Tips at $5.50/kg.
Lady Fingers $5.90/kg.

COLES RUNAWAY BAY

Cavendish on display $4.00/kg - mostly green with a percentage of minor bruising.
Kids packs priced at $4.00ea.
Red Tips at $5.50/kg - no fruit just signage. Lady Fingers $5.90/kg. Organic at $6.00/kg- these were very dull.

BANANAS AT WOOLWORTHS

WOOLWORTHS COOMERA

Cavendish priced at $4.00/kg. Some very minor skin marking but generally good colour. Kids packs at $2.50ea.
Red Tips at $6.00/kg, Lady Fingers at $5.90/kg and Organic variety at $6.00/kg.

WOOLWORTHS GARDEN CITY

The display of Cavendish priced at $4.00/kg. Sooty mould, neck injuries and minor skin marking present. Kids packs at $2.50ea.
No other varieties on display.

WOOLWORTHS RUNAWAY BAY

Cavendish bananas priced at $4.00/kg. The best quality and colour this week!
Kids packs at $2.50ea.
Lady Fingers at $5.90/kg. Red Tipped at $6.00/kg.
Organic at $6.00/kg.

AVOCADOS AT ALDI

ALDI GARDEN CITY

Count 23 Greenskins loose Shepard Avocados priced at 99c ea, packed 18th April (6 days old).
1kg prepacks on special at $3.99ea and 5 piece packs at $5.49ea.

ALDI RUNAWAY BAY

Green skins Count 25 Shepard priced at 99c each.
5 piece prepacks at $4.49ea and 1kg for $3.99ea.

AVOCADOS AT COLES

COLES COOMERA

Count 23 Shepard Avocados - ticketed at $1.00ea.
Autumn Avocados were also ticketed at $1.00ea.
No prepacks at all on display. Organic avos priced at $4.00ea.

COLES GARDEN CITY

Count 25 loose Shepard Avos from Costas - $1.00ea, packed 3rd April (~14 days old).
Autumn hass also available for $1.00ea.
Prepacks: 5pk at $4.50ea and 1kg pack $5.00ea.