Bay of Plenty avocado grower Doug Brown, now 80, has been operating an organic avocado business in Katikati for decades. His 2.4-hectare block contains 250 trees, buffered by pine trees planted more than 40 years ago to mitigate wind damage. He said recent September winds caused less than 0.5% crop loss on his property, though other growers in the region were more affected.
Brown, who grew up in Illinois on a mixed farm and later moved to New Zealand after farming in Hawaii, was one of the early members of organic certifier BioGro in 1983. His business distributes avocados nationwide to shops, restaurants, and individuals. He noted that recent years have delivered consistent crops, with fortnightly picking carried out year-round.
At the national level, New Zealand Avocado CEO Brad Siebert described the current season as one of strong fruit quality and good volumes, but with pricing pressure. "While consumers are enjoying affordable avocados, growers are facing markets at home and offshore that have had to manage significant supply," he said. Domestic supermarkets are reporting record demand for pre-ripened fruit, while export programmes have been delayed by both maturity timing and international market conditions.
Siebert confirmed that a wind event in mid-September caused fruit and leaf drop for some Bay of Plenty growers, with assessments underway. He said export markets may improve as South American supply begins to decline. "While there has been an increase in avocado shipments from Peru, up more than 30% compared to the previous year, with extended supply periods into key destinations such as Japan, South Korea, and the United States intensifying, New Zealand supply should now start to benefit from South American volumes starting to reduce in the coming months."
Western Australia is also contributing with a forecast crop of 11 million trays, entering South-East Asian and Hong Kong markets early. Siebert noted that New Zealand fruit continues to be exported to Australia, though volumes remain modest. Total forecasts for the industry indicate a harvestable crop of 6.5 million trays, divided around 60% export and 40% domestic. He added that while fruit quality has remained stable, grower returns are under pressure despite higher-than-expected pack-out rates.
Source: SunLive
