QUICKLINKS

BANANA OVERVIEW

🍌SUPPLY UPDATE

National Banana transport figures for week 46 saw 391,550 cartons harvested which was 1.5% or 5831 cartons fewer than the previous week. Weather patterns in the major growing regions we again saw minimal rainfall, with warm temperatures this week, particularly in the day with humidity on the increase as well. Temperatures in the far north have seen early A.M. temperatures fall within a range of 17.8 - 24.2 C across all major growing regions; and day time temperatures ranging 31.0 - 33.3 C. Rainfall in North Qld banana growing regions this week was as follows: Mareeba and Walkamin 0mm of rain; and Innisfail and Tully regions with 1.4-7.6mm of rain this week.

Quality is a still varied - although minimal bat/bird marking and rub marking observed this week - some still being found amongst a couple of displays together with some thrip marking and bronzing. Fruit bloom was generally bright which should help with fruit appeal.

Retail ticket pricing in Queensland for cavendish bananas has remained stable this week with pricing 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.

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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 46, 2024 - The industry experienced a 3.21% increase in production on the previous week’s harvest with a total of 539,190 tray equivalents harvested and transported (approx 18,000 more tray equivalents) on Week 45, 2024 production. Interestingly almost 90K units (up 8K units on last week) of this total were in the form of bulk/processing; a further 65K units were exported (more than double the quantity that was exported last week) which left just over 384K units for the domestic market.

Production across the country saw WA/NT continue their lead in production - accounting for 66.56% of the total volume, followed by NZ accounting for a further 21.61%, then Central NSW accounting for 7.31%, and lastly Tristate with 4.51% of the total production for the week. Dry matter in WA fruit is not only markedly varied from farm to farm; and block to block but this season even down to the level of tree to tree on the same farm - with the region putting this down to the previous 9-12 month period of dry heat over a long summer and a very mild winter which has impacted tree production; maturity and now fruit developing fruit colour. The impact of this is being seen in the form of quite mixed maturity - which is making the task of ripening a difficult one when trying to ensure consistency across trays. Developing colour of fruit whilst on the tree is also occurring and a percentage of farms in the region are experiencing a degree of fruit drop. This is resulting in some farms increasing their current harvest rate in recent weeks, which will see a short term increase in availability but for the longer term picture, we believe this will put pressure on hass supplies post Christmas. It is difficult to accurately gauge how long trees will hold fruit for in light of these factors.

· It is forecast that a total of some 527,000 tray equivalents will be despatched this week (Week 47) nationally, with the majority of these being hass. Production for the next three week period thereafter, is expected to fall within the range of 446 to 456K tray equivalents per week.

In terms of Avocado retailing in the major supermarkets in Qld this week we saw stable shelf prices as follows - Aldi’s Hass this week shelf tickets at $2.29 each; Coles Qld stores visited had Hass avos at $2.50ea, and Woolworths Qld with Hass at $2.50ea.

AVOCADO SNAPSHOT

Left to Right: Woolworths Hass; Aldi Hass and Coles Hass Avocados in Queensland stores

STOCK IN STORES

QUICKLINKS

🍌Bananas at Woolworths

🥑Avocados at Woolworths

BANANAS AT ALDI

ALDI FOREST LAKE

Cavendish Bananas priced at $3.99/kg. Mostly dull or green colour.
Havana Bananas at $3.99/kg - also mostly green.

ALDI LOGANHOLME

Cavendish Bananas priced at $3.99/kg. Some with minor marking and some green.
Havana Bananas also at $3.99/kg.

ALDI GARDEN CITY

Cavendish Bananas priced at $3.99/kg. Mostly dull or green colour.
Havana Bananas at $3.99/kg - also mostly green.

BANANAS AT COLES

COLES FOREST LAKE

Cavendish on display $4.00/kg. Kids packs at $4.00/kg.
Red Tips $5.90/kg. Lady Fingers $6.90/kg. Organic at $6.50/kg.

COLES LOGANHOLME

Cavendish on display $4.00/kg. Kids packs at $4.00/kg.
Red Tips at $5.90/kg and Lady Fingers at $6.90/kg. Organic at $6.50/kg.

COLES GARDEN CITY

Cavendish on display for $4.00/kg.
Kids Bananas $4.00/pack, Ladyfingers $6.90/kg and Red Tips at $5.90/kg. Organic $6.50/kg.

BANANAS AT WOOLWORTHS

WOOLWORTHS LOGANHOLME

Cavendish priced at $4.00/kg. Appropriately positioned in ‘Eat Now’ and ‘Eat Later’. Kids packs at $3.50ea.
Red Tips at $5.90/kg. Lady Fingers at $8.00/kg - some clusters with a little bronzing developing. Organic at $7.90/kg.

WOOLWORTHS FOREST LAKE

The display of Cavendish priced at $4.00/kg. Appropriately displayed. Kids packs at $3.50ea.
Red Tips at $5.90/kg, Lady Fingers at $8.00/kg and Organic at $6.50/kg.

WOOLWORTHS GARDEN CITY

Cavendish priced at $4.50/kg, some green. Kids packs at $3.50ea.
Red Tips at $5.90/kg. Lady Fingers at $8.00/kg. Organic at $6.50/kg.

AVOCADOS AT ALDI