\u201cThis market mix allows the industry to capitalise on strong opportunities in Australia while continuing to advance the industry\u2019s long-term market diversification strategy,\u201d Siebert said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an encouraging signal, and a reminder of the quality and reputation New Zealand avocados continue to carry offshore.\u201d<\/p>\n
Typically, around 50% of New Zealand\u2019s avocado crop is exported.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s harvest is predicted to produce 8 million trays in total, with the latest forecast being 5.3 million exported and 2.7 million going into the New Zealand market.<\/p>\n
The 2025\u201326 export season saw total shipments of 3.446 million trays.<\/p>\n
About half of the 4700 avocado hectares in production are in the Bay of Plenty, and around 40% in the Northland region. <\/p>\n
Closer to home, Siebert said domestic supply was holding up well, and Kiwi shoppers could expect to keep finding good local avocados on the shelves through winter. <\/p>\n
\u201cMaintaining a steady flow into the domestic market matters; it keeps avocados front of mind for consumers year-round and supports growers who supply locally,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019d encourage everyone to keep enjoying them: winter is a great time for avocados on toast, in salads or for a nutritional boost to a smoothie.\u201d <\/p>\n
Winter tips<\/p>\n
While winter has well and truly settled over avocado orchards, Siebert said this was no time for growers to put their feet up. <\/p>\n
\u201cJuly is when the groundwork is laid for the season ahead, and a little attention now pays dividends come harvest. Look after your trees through the cold.<\/p>\n
\u201cWaterlogging is the big winter risk, so check that drainage is doing its job after heavy rain and that mulch is keeping root zones protected without smothering them.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said frost-prone sites are worth keeping a close eye on. <\/p>\n
\u201cYoung trees in particular benefit from protection on clear, still nights.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chief executive of New Zealand Avocado, Brad Siebert.<\/p>\n
Siebert said it was also the right window to stay on top of orchard hygiene: clear fallen fruit and leaf litter to reduce disease carry-over, and keep monitoring for rot and pests that don\u2019t take the winter off. <\/p>\n
Growers planning nutrition programmes should be thinking ahead now, so trees go into spring in good heart, he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cAs always, healthy soil and good drainage are the foundation of a resilient crop.\u201d<\/p>\n
Field days<\/p>\n
July also brings a chance for growers to get together. <\/p>\n
Field days are planned for early July, including one in the Bay of Plenty on July 6, 1pm-3pm, at 40F Jensen Rd, Omanawa.<\/p>\n
Growers can join NZ Avocado at Andrew Craib\u2019s orchard in Omanawa for an afternoon of practical insights and industry connections. <\/p>\n
Siebert said this field day will feature on-orchard updates from their research team, covering the latest findings on mirid insects, fruit quality, and production systems \u2013 all with a focus on management strategies that maximise financial returns for growers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe field days are a great opportunity to get out of the orchard, talk shop with fellow growers, hear the latest from New Zealand Avocado, and pick up practical tips you can take home. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe team would love to see a good turnout.\u201d<\/p>\n
Winter can feel quiet, but Siebert said a lot is happening behind the scenes across the industry. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhether it\u2019s tending your trees, watching the first export fruit head away, or getting involved in the elections, July is a month to stay engaged. <\/p>\n
\u201cHere\u2019s to a productive season ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n
Recipe: Hot Honey Halloumi Smashed Avo Toast <\/p>\n
(15 mins; serves four people)<\/p>\n
Hot honey halloumi smashed avo toast.<\/p>\n
Ingredients<\/p>\n
1 avocado<\/p>\n
1 tsp lemon juice<\/p>\n
1 tbsp olive oil<\/p>\n
200g halloumi, sliced<\/p>\n
2 tbsp honey<\/p>\n
\u00bd tsp chilli flakes (adjust to taste)<\/p>\n
4 slices ciabatta<\/p>\n
Method<\/p>\n
Mash the avocado in a small bowl with lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. <\/p>\n
Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat and fry the halloumi until golden on both sides. <\/p>\n
Reduce heat and drizzle over honey and chilli flakes, tossing to coat. At the same time, toast the ciabatta. <\/p>\n
Spread the avocado over the toasted ciabatta. <\/p>\n
Top with the hot honey halloumi and serve immediately.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cThis market mix allows the industry to capitalise on strong opportunities in Australia while continuing to advance the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":508290,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[9526,18659,18658,8594,3594,2454,1132,117,111,43,139,69,38051,6926,1961,23368,61,176740,379,80],"class_list":["post-508289","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-zealand","tag-another","tag-avocado","tag-bumper","tag-harvest","tag-hit","tag-industry","tag-million","tag-new","tag-new-zealand","tag-news","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-predicted","tag-season","tag-this","tag-tipped","tag-to","tag-trays","tag-year","tag-zealand"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/508289","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=508289"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/508289\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/508290"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=508289"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=508289"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=508289"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}