Avocado growth booming
AVOCADO is fast becoming the Atherton Tablelands’ most valuable horticultural commodity. Next year’s crop is expected to top $100 million.
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries senior horticulturist Geoff Dickinson said the avocado crop this year was worth about $82 million.
“New orchards are coming on line throughout the region,” he said.
“Avocados are being planted across the Tablelands including Ravenshoe, Atherton, Mareeba and Dimbulah and the production areas are increasing rapidly.”
The industry growth was reflected in the attendance of about 130 people representing 85 avocado farms at a workshop held at Jim Kochi’s farm at Atherton.
Mr Kochi is the chairman and North Queensland director of Avocados Australia, which organised the North Queensland Avocado Study Workshop in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries with industry funding via Hort Innovation.
The workshop was the sixth on the Tablelands in the past three years and was part of a series being held throughout all avocado-growing areas around Australia.
Mr Dickinson said the workshops were grower-driven, looking at management techniques to improve productivity and quality. As the industry expands, growers put forward the issues they want covered in the workshops.
The Atherton workshop focused on pollination, organic practices, pests and diseases.
Horticultural scientist Denis Roe of Subtropical Fruit Farm Consultancy Services, Nambour said avocados were suitable for organic farming provided pests and diseases were managed diligently.