For Far North growers, an excellent avocado season seems underway, as they gear up for another record-breaking harvest. Growers in Mareeba, Dimbulah and Atherton Tablelands are preparing to harvest their crop within the next fortnight, with record yields expected as the region takes over central Queensland as the prime growing area.
Atherton grower and Avocados Australia chairman Jim Kochi said he expected over 4 million trays would be picked in the north alone. Last year, the region produced about 4.5 million trays, which was a 30 percent increase on the year before.
Mr Kochi said new and established growers increasing their plantations had contributed to the boom, with avocado production in Australia more than doubling in just five years: “North Queensland is now surpassing the Bundaberg and central Queensland production areas and we will know by just how much this year because we’re starting to get the first off the new plantings.”
Kochi said the north’s season started in early February and continued until the end of June.
“I think the average will be variable around Mareeba, it depends on how much particular growers in their locality have been impacted by cold weather during flowering or the excessive heat in November, for the Sheperd variety. For Hass around the Atherton area it’s going to be a better than average crop.”
Kochi also told goodfruitandvegetables.com.auhe hoped for fine weather with some cloud, no heavy rain or cyclones and intermittent showers, as they will form the ideal growing conditions.
