QUICKLINKS

BANANA OVERVIEW

🍌SUPPLY UPDATE

National Banana transport figures for week 5 were 443,270 cartons which is just over 20% less (some 115K cartons) than the week prior but in light of the tropical low and subsequent flooding in some regions, this is still a good result. Weather patterns in the major growing regions we saw a continuation of warm temperatures and lots of rain this week associated with the tropical low in the region. Temperatures in the far north have seen early A.M. temperatures fall within a range of 19.1 - 25.2 C across all major growing regions; and day time temperatures still ranging 28.0 - 32.0 C. Rainfall in North Qld banana growing regions this week with the presence of a Tropical Low off the coast has been rather heavy as follows: Mareeba receiving 139mm for the week; and Innisfail receiving a total of a whopping 737.4mm!! Swelling of local waterways and sodden landscapes have resulted in flooding of roads and major highways which will impact the distribution of produce south. All transporters are seeking alternate routes but even roads are cut to the likes of Charters Towers and as such transporters are taking every opportunity they can in relation to the drop in flood relating to tidal activity to get stock on its way south. The weather bureau have forecast more rain across this coming weekend and into next week. We will continue to monitor the weather and advise our customers accordingly or the start of Week 7.

Quality is consistent with mostly good colour and minimal skin marking - minor rub damage, some light skin marking etc seen this week.

Retail ticket pricing in Queensland for cavendish bananas were 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 $4.50/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 5, 2025 - The industry experienced a 13.30% decrease in production on the previous week’s harvest with a total of only 331,504 tray equivalents harvested and transported (approx 50,000 more tray equivalents) on Week 4, 2024 production and when you take out the 9000 trays that were exported and some 37,000 bulks/processing lines this only leaves approximately 285,000 trays for domestic supply.

Production across the country saw WA/NT continue their lead in production - accounting for 63.44% of the total volume, followed by NZ accounting for a further 22.31%, then Central NSW accounting for 4.08%, and lastly Tristate with 2.19% of the total production for the week.

· It is forecast that a total of some 389,000 tray equivalents will be dispatched this week (Week 6) nationally, with the majority of these being Hass; with about one-third of this total being new season NQ Shepard Avocados. Production for the next three week period thereafter, is expected to fall within the range of 302 to 411K tray equivalents per week. We have seen a trickle of Shepard avocados arrive in all eastern central markets, not a lot of volume at this stage, and the fruit that has arrived has to be ripened before sales really get underway but early indications have the market in the vicinity of $50.00-$55.00 on premium trays, as a general guide. As volumes increase over the next couple of weeks, this pricing will come back a little. Still a good volume of both WA and NZ hass to be found on all market floors but these are lightening. As supplies of Hass decline over the next fortnight to three weeks on the east coast, we expect demand will lift for the new season Shepard variety and availability will also increase.

The above images are some of the first harvest of the season for Volcanic Avocados which have been sent to the Victorian Markets, fruit was packed by Rock Ridge Packhouse and it is certainly looking good. We are also pleased to report that not only did our own dry matter tests show the fruit was mature for harvest, samples from the same harvest were collected by the Avocado Quality Monitoring Project Team and result was an average dry matter of 22.9% with the entire 10 pieces tested all being above 21% with a range of 21.2 to 24.4%. Well done team Volcanic Avocados.

We are actively engaging with our farms and associated growers to ensure fruit from all farms/blocks are being submitted for dry matter testing before harvesting commences and that a range of sizes are tested, including smaller sizes fruit which are used in the prepacks, to ensure what we do harvest is exceeding minimum dry matter requirements for our customers positive eating experience. Whilst we undertook a small harvest this week, we do envisage, all going well with the weather and gradual subsiding of flood waters in the North, that we will continue our selective size harvesting next week in preparation for supplies to our customers.

In terms of Avocado retailing in the major supermarkets in Qld this week we saw relatively stable shelf prices as follows - Aldi’s Hass this week shelf tickets at $2.99 each; Coles Qld stores visited had Hass avos at $3.50ea, and Woolworths Qld with Hass at $3.50ea. Bring on the Shepard’s we say….

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 ASHGROVE

Cavendish Bananas priced at $3.99/kg.
Havana Bananas at $3.99/kg - more green.

ALDI INDOOROOPILLY

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

BANANAS AT COLES

COLES INDOOROOPILLY

Cavendish on display $4.50/kg. Kids packs at $4.50ea.
Red Tips $5.00/kg on special. Lady Fingers $6.90/kg.

COLES ASHGROVE

Cavendish on back to school special - $4.00/kg. Kids packs at $4.50/kg.
Lady Fingers $6.90/kg.

BANANAS AT WOOLWORTHS

WOOLWORTHS INDOOROOPILLY

Cavendish priced at $4.00/kg. Appropriately positioned in ‘Eat Now’ and ‘Eat Later’ although not many in ‘Eat Later’. Kids packs at $3.00ea.
Red Tips at $5.50/kg on special - needed restocking. Lady Fingers at $6.90/kg. Organic at $6.50/kg.

WOOLWORTHS ASHGROVE

The display of Cavendish priced at $4.00/kg. Appropriately displayed. Kids packs at $3.00ea.
Red Tips at $5.50/kg, Lady Fingers at $6.90/kg and Organic at $5.50/kg.

AVOCADOS AT ALDI

ALDI INDOOROOPILLY

NZ Hass Avocados, priced at $2.99 each.

Prepacks also on display - 1kg packs at $8.99ea.

ALDI ASHGROVE

NZ Hass Avocados, priced at $2.99 each. Packed 13th January so fruit is 23 days old.

Prepacks also on display - 1kg packs at $8.99ea and 5 piece packs at $9.99ea.

AVOCADOS AT COLES

COLES INDOOROOPILLY

WA and NZ grown loose Hass Avocados - ticketed at $3.50 ea. Good quality at this store!!
1kg prepacks at $9.90ea and 5 piece prepacks at $10.90ea.

COLES ASHGROVE

Ct 25 NZ Hass ticketed at $3.50 ea.
5 piece prepacks at $10.90ea. 1kg prepacks at $9.90ea but no stock.

AVOCADOS AT WOOLWORTHS

WOOLWORTHS INDOOROOPILLY

NZ and WA Hass in Ct 16-18 on display priced at $3.50ea were on the the A frame display. Fruit packed 13th January so fruit age is 23 days old.
Prepacks: No prepacks here this week!