Tuesday, 16 November 2021 12:55

Aussie growers want to smash NZ avocado imports

Written by  Sudesh Kissun
Avocados Australia chief executive John Tyas says his growers want to see an end to NZ imports. Avocados Australia chief executive John Tyas says his growers want to see an end to NZ imports.

Australian growers want their consumers to buy home-grown avocados and ditch imports from across the ditch.

A bumper national production has caused a glut in the Australian domestic supply with imported avocados from New Zealand making the situation worse, local growers claim.

Avocados Australia chief executive John Tyas told Rural News they want Australian consumers to ask for locally grown avocados in stores.

"We support our Australian growers so we want to see Australian avocados in stores," he says.

However, NZ Avocado chief executive Jen Scoular says it has long standing relationships with avocado customers in Australia.

"Our exporters are committed to filling their orders and servicing those customer relationships," she told Rural News.

Media reports in Australia say farmers are dumping avocados as plummeting prices make it unviable to pack and send it to the markets.

Last month, Avocados Australia announced that the national avocado production was expected to continue to increase to 170,000 tonnes by 2026, more than double the 2020-21 crop of 78,000 tonnes.

Calling it 'the avolanche,' it claimed Australian avocado growers are able to more than meet demand and there was no need for imported avocados.

For New Zealand avocado growers, Australia remains it biggest export market but alternative markets are being developed.

Scoular says New Zealand has been exporting avocados to Australia for more than 40 years. She says NZ Avocado exporters have built strong relationships with Australian retailers during the past 40 years.

“As the two key country of origin suppliers of avocados to Australia, New Zealand and Australia have had a long standing relationship of open communication and dialogue,” Scoular says.

“The increasing plantings of avocado trees in Australia has meant that an increase in Australian grown avocado supply has been forecast for many years.

“New Zealand has been developing alternative export markets across Asia for the past 10 years to reduce the reliance on Australia as our main export market,” Scoular adds.

But Australian growers want to see an end to imports. Tyas says it is supporting the Australian avocado growers.

“There is not a need for additional imported product to supply our domestic market this year. And this trend is likely to continue as, according to our forecast, production is expected to double over the next five years.”

Tyas admits that the current glut has been caused by an increased supply of avocados by Australian growers and not by imports from NZ.

“Growers planted a significant number of trees to meet demand and now they are in production this year,” he explains. “We have just reached a level where Australian production can supply the whole country all year round.”

Avocados FBTW

Last season New Zealand exported 4.3 million trays of avocados to Australia.

NZ Exports

Last season New Zealand exported 4.3 million trays, each weighing 5.5kg, of avocados to Australia, of a total crop volume of 7.3 million trays.

This season New Zealand is forecasting 2.6 million trays to Australia, of the 7.5 million trays forecast.

The remainder of the New Zealand crop will be sold in New Zealand and exported to ten other countries across Asia and the Pacific – including China, South Korea, Thailand and India.

NZ Avocado chief executive Jen Scoular says NZ avocado exports to Australia are 40% down on last season’s volume, while avocado production out of Western Australia is 324% up on last season’s volume.

“NZ has tripled the volume of avocado exports to markets outside of Australia in 2021,” she says.

More like this

World avocado trade set to grow

A new report by Rabobank says global avocado trade will continue to grow in the next few years, but the market will be more competitive.

Big boots to fill!

NZ Avocado Growers Association chief executive Jen Scoular will step down in August after serving 12 years in the role.

NZ Avocado boss to step down

NZ Avocado Growers Association chief executive Jen Scoular will step down in August after serving 12 years in the role.

Featured

Sheep drench resistance costly

Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.

Dairy sheep and goat turmoil

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.

Hurry up and slow down!

OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.

National

Knowing bugs means fewer drugs

A mastitis management company claims to deliver the fastest and most accurate mastitis testing available at scale for New Zealand…

Machinery & Products

AGTEK and ARGO part ways

After 12 years of representing the Landini and McCormick brands in New Zealand, Bay of Plenty-based AGTEK and the brands’…

100 years of Farmall Tractors

Returning after an enforced break, the Wheat and Wheels Rally will take place on the Lauriston -Barhill Road, North-East of…

JD unveils its latest beast

John Deere has unveiled its most powerful tractor ever, with the launch of the all new 9RX Series Tractor line-up…

Biggest Quadtrac coming to NZ!

In the biggest announcement that Case IH Australia/New Zealand has made around its tractor range, its biggest tractor is about…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Why?

OPINION: A mate of yours truly wants to know why the beef schedule differential is now more than 45-50 cents…

Fat to cut

OPINION: Your canine crusader understands that MPI were recently in front of the Parliamentary Primary Sector Select Committee for an…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter