QUICKLINKS

BANANA OVERVIEW

🍌SUPPLY UPDATE

The industry transport figures have been a little late in their release, with the figures for what was transported Week 16 only being released earlier this week - a total of some 419,000 ctns which meant an increase of 21,000 cartons on week 15 production. Week 17 industry harvest was expected to fall within a range of 390,000 to 410,000 cartons but yet to be confirmed. What we can confirm is the weather patterns for the last week in the far north, early A.M. temperatures have ranged 16.1 - 22.3 C across all major growing regions and day time temperatures have remained warmer ranging 25.0 - 29.0 C. There has been a slight decrease in terms of rainfall across the regions of Mareeba and Walkamin with falls of 1.6 - 9.6mm; whilst a slight increase in the level of rain falls across Innisfail and Tully regions of 67.4mm - 69.0mm throughout the week. Similar weather patterns have been in existence now for several months.

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 $4.00-4.50/kg in the stores visited. Banana quality in stores still varied with the main defects being still minor neck damage, sooty/blotchy mould and minor skin marking which remains indicative of the growing conditions in recent months.

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 17, 2024 - The industry saw a massive 27.55% decrease on the previous week’s harvest with a total of 471,557 tray equivalents harvested and transported (approx 190,000 less tray equivalents) on Week 16, 2024 production. The national harvest included 272,599 Shepard tray equivalents along with Hass variety supplying 191,336 tray equivalents together with 7,622 trays of assorted other varieties in this week’s reported figures. Of the total 191,336 hass tray equivalents this week, approximately 60,000 of these were still coming from WA origin.

Production across the country has somewhat evened out with North QLD Shepard variety accounting for 51.07% of the total production volume this week, Central Queensland accounting for a further 36.09% (Shepard and hass), then Western Australia with supply accounting for 12.81% (primarily Hass) and other varietals from SQ with 0.03%.

· It is forecast that a total of some 454,000 tray equivalents will be despatched this week (Week 18) nationally. This figure can be broken down by variety with the Shepard variety expected to represent some 173,000 tray equivalents whilst Hass will contribute approximately 279,000 of this total. Shepard harvest figures are expected to be gradually declining in volume as their season is coming to an end by mid to late May, forecast for the next three weeks to be within a range of 170K down to 11K tray equivalents over the next three weeks.

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 99c each; Coles Qld had Shepard avocados ticketed at $1.00ea, and Woolworths with Greenskin Shepards also at $1.00ea. 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 COORPAROO

A display of Cavendish Bananas ticketed at $3.99/kg - better colour this week, though still seeing some slightly green fruit and some minor neck injuries.
No Havana bananas here.

ALDI CARINDALE

Cavendish Bananas priced at $3.99/kg - some light sooty mould present.
No Havana bananas.

ALDI BROWNS PLAINS

Cavendish Bananas priced at $3.99/kg.
Havana bananas at $4.99/kg, but needed restocking.

BANANAS AT COLES

COLES COORPAROO

Cavendish bananas displayed at 4.50/kg. Mix of growers.
Kids packs priced at $4.00ea.
Ladyfingers on display for $5.90/kg. Red Tips for $5.50/kg.
Organic at $6.00/kg.

COLES CARINDALE

Cavendish on display $4.00/kg, mostly good colour. A few dull clusters found, sooty mould present as were some minor neck damage and skin marking.
Kids packs priced at $4.00ea - some green hands.
Red Tips at $5.50/kg.
Lady Fingers $5.90/kg.

COLES BROWNS PLAINS

Cavendish on display $4.00/kg. 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.

BANANAS AT WOOLWORTHS

WOOLWORTHS COOPAROO

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 CARINDALE

The display of Cavendish priced at $4.00/kg. Decent colour - some sooty mould, minor neck damage. Kids packs at $2.50ea.
Lady Fingers $5.90/kg, Red Tips $5.50/kg and Organic $6.00/kg.

WOOLWORTHS BROWNS PLAINS

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 $5.50/kg.
Organic at $6.00/kg.

AVOCADOS AT ALDI