Export growth and domestic demand are opening new opportunities for the Australian avocado industry.
A domestic volume of 150,000 tonnes of avocados is forecast for the 2026 season, according to Avocados Australia’s chief executive John Tyas, similar to what has been produced in recent years.
He said in the past 10 years, domestic consumption had doubled, with potential for that to happen again in the next decade.
This comes all while finding new markets for the fruit, with China touted as the next major export region.
“Their consumption is about 70,000 tonnes that they import at the moment, and it’s only set to increase,” Mr Tyas said.
“They’re struggling to find a supplier of good quality product and they’re desperate to get their hands on Australian fruit.”
John Tyas says China will be the industry’s next major export region. (ABC Rural: Sophie Johnson)
Mr Tyas said discussions between the two countries around phytosanitary biosecurity measures, which were designed to ensure an imported product did not pose any contamination or disease risk, needed to happen before exporting Australian avocados was an option.
“What we don’t have is the phytosanitary protocols that need to be negotiated between the Australian and Chinese government, and we’re keen to see that happen as soon as possible,” he said.
Exporting avocados
Current major export markets for Australian avocados are Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong.
“We’re dominating those three markets, we’ve got 75 to 85 per cent market share,” Â Mr Tyas said.
Although these markets were relatively small compared to other exported products, he said there was a lot of potential for growth.
He said the response from international consumers had given the industry confidence that there was a strong demand from mainland China for the Australian fruit.
“Last year, we signed a pre-purchase agreement with the Shanghai [Huizhan] Markets to import $300 million worth of Australian avocados, that was their commitment,” Mr Tyas said.
“They’re keen to actually increase that, so there’s no doubt that there’s an enormous appetite and enormous potential in China.
“We just need to get that market access.”
Australian avocado growers are trying to break into new international markets. (ABC Rural: Sophie Johnson)
Avocados Australia has set the goal for 35 per cent of the total Australian crop to be exported internationally.
Currently, it is closer to 15 per cent.
Spotlight on north Queensland
Mr Tyas said he believed the north Queensland avocado growing region, situated mostly on the Atherton Tablelands, had an enormous opportunity due to its proximity to export markets and the forecast growth for the local industry.
Far North Queensland farmer Lawrence Massasso grows avocados in the Atherton Tablelands.
“We’re hoping that if we continue to open up export markets, the opportunities for growers [are] going to continue to grow,” he said.
Mr Massasso said he was focused on improving the quality of the product.
Lawrence Massasso says high-quality avocados are vital to growing consumer and export markets. (ABC Rural: Sophie Johnson)
“We know that when a consumer gets a bad eating experience, they go off avocados for a week or two,” he said.
“In the situation we’re in now that we have abundant supply every week, we want people getting a good avocado every week and continuing to buy food every week.”
The industry hopes to shift about 500,000 trays of avocados per week, with a strong link between supply and demand.
“[Growers] feel that we’ve done the worst of the tough seasons,” Mr Massasso said.