Wednesday, 04 December 2024 07:25

Avocados bounce back!

Written by  Peter Burke
Avocado NZ chief executive, Brad Siebert, says better weather and new export strategy could see a muchimproved season for growers. Avocado NZ chief executive, Brad Siebert, says better weather and new export strategy could see a muchimproved season for growers.

After two challenging years, the country’s avocado growers are quietly optimistic that a good year is in the making.

NZ Avocado chief executive, Brad Siebert, says much better weather and a change in export strategy could see a much-improved season for growers.

He says the previous two seasons were a struggle for all growers as they dealt with negative cashflow and rising business costs.

“In 2022 we had Cyclone Dovi and in 2023 it was Cyclone Gabrielle and this led to the downgrading of fruit, which in turn led to reduced exports and returns to growers,” he told Hort News.

Siebert says most growing regions had a strong pollination last October and estimates suggest this will result in a crop of some 7 million trays – well up on last year’s 5 million.

Given the impact of weather on avocado growers, some are looking at ways of better protecting fruit from damage. Better shelter around orchards to protect from wind damage is seen as important: Wind causes visual scars on the young fruit affecting quality and quantity of export grade fruit.

“Some growers are in the early stages of trialling new growing systems including covering their crops or growing them in less conventional ways – even along wires in a 2-D espalier set up. While it’s a long process to trial the outcomes of these systems, the industry is encouraging these and other orchard initiatives towards improved productivity and quality outcomes,” says Brad Siebert.


Read More


While around 50% of avocado hectares and production is based in the Bay of Plenty, it should be noted that the majority of those orchards are about 3ha, whereas in Northland, where 45% of the fruit is grown, the orchards are much larger. The remaining production is spread around Auckland, Gisborne and Taranaki.

New Zealand Avocado is a growers’ association group and does not sell or market the fruit – this is left to about eleven exporters.

Brad Siebert says his absolute priority is to increase returns to growers and to provide good returns on investment for the levies growers contribute.

Given the experience of the past two years and the increasing competition in key markets, he says a key decision has been to review and change the settings of the industry export strategy to build seasonal resilience and to remove roadblocks that prevent exporters from extracting value from the international market for all classes of fruit.

“What that’s done is provide better value to growers across all grades of fruit while also relieving volumes on the NZ market during our peak export season,” he says.

The prospect of a good season approaching is helping to validate the industry outlook the sector has been presenting to banks to reassure them that recent climatic events were a major influence on export returns. Siebert says banks, like growers, have had to weather the financial storms of Dovi and Gabrielle and are now seeking assurances that the avocado sector is once again viable and back on track.

“We are about to prove to rural lenders they can have confidence in the sector going forward,” he says.

More like this

Eating more fruit and veg 'helps the economy'

A new international study serves as a stark warning for New Zealanders: our health and wellbeing are in our hands, and increasing our intake of fruit and vegetables is a key step to reducing the pressure on our healthcare system.

East Coast Expo delivers two action-packed days of events

The recent East Coast Farming Expo, held over two days at Wairoa, offered an insight into the current state of agriculture on the east of the North Island, at a time when the locals are remembering the second anniversary of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Featured

Controls lifted at poultry farm

Movement controls have been lifted from Mainland Poultry’s Hillgrove Farm in Otago, after the successful eradication of H7N6 strain of high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

Farmers urged not to be complacent about TB

New Zealand's TBfree programme has made great progress in reducing the impact of the disease on livestock herds, but there’s still a long way to go, according to Beef+Lamb NZ.

Editorial: Making wool great again

OPINION: Otago farmer and NZ First MP Mark Patterson is humble about the role that he’s played in mandating government agencies to use wool wherever possible in new and refurbished buildings.

National

Machinery & Products

Yamaha acquires Robotics Plus

New Zealand based company Robotics Plus, a specialist in agricultural automation, has announced an agreement for it to be acquired…

Ecorobotix announces NZ dealership

Swiss-based Ecorobotix has announced its entry into the New Zealand market through a strategic partnership with Canterbury-based New Zealand Tractors.

Sorting unwashed potatoes made easy

Downs, a leader in potato reception, automated sorting, and storage, has introduced its new high-throughput optical sorter for unwashed potatoes…

Jumbo X saves time and money

A winner of a prestigious ‘Technical Innovations 2024’ award by FederUnacoma at the EIMA show in Italy, the Maschio Jumbo…

NH unveils specialty tractor

New Holland recently showcased its new-generation T4.120 F specialty tractor, giving New Zealand customers a closer look at the winner…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Make it 1000%!

OPINION: The appendage swinging contest between the US and China continues, with China hitting back with a new rate of…

Own goal

OPINION: The irony of President Trump’s tariff obsession is that the worst damage may be done to his own people.

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter