Chinese savouring first NZ avocados

... New Zealand avocados had subtle taste and texture differences to others.

Steve Trickett

As New Zealand’s first airfreighted consignment of avocados has arrived in China, Kiwis have been advised the fruit will be in short supply in local stores come midwinter.

Avocados New Zealand chief executive Jen Scoular said avocados grew better on alternative years, and this season was a lower producing one.

Growers were working on evening out the volumes in a year, to avoid a boom and bust scenario.

‘‘We’re working on how to get more volume.

‘‘The aim of our research programme is to not to have so many huge years so we don’t have so many low years.’’

Northland had a good producing year, but in the Bay of Plenty it had been inconsistent.

With the export harvest completed and the local harvest winding down in a month, total avocado tray numbers are expected to be 3.59 million, compared with last year’s super crop of 7.88 million.

Export returns last season were $157 million, but no estimate has been made for the current season.

The domestic market was worth $43.4m.

Scoular said prices at present were about $3-4 each, but these would rise as the fruit became scarcer. Avocados were no different to seasonal produce such as cherry tomatoes, which also increased in price in winter.

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) said the consignment to China followed the signing of a protocol on phytosanitary requirements between New Zealand and China last November, and a technical audit of New Zealand’s regulatory system for exporting avocados by Chinese officials in January.

New Zealand is only the fourth country to be granted access.

The others are the avocado strongholds of Mexico, Peru and Chile. Exporter Avoco said China was expected to be a significant market. It was planning to export a minimum of 50,000 trays a season, or about 2 per cent of its total exports.

Marketing and communications manager Steve Trickett said the Tauranga-based company would target primarily middle class Chinese.

The fruit will be available through high-end ‘‘omni channels’’ where shoppers have the option to purchase through either online digital sales platforms or at retail stores.

Trickett said New Zealand avocados had subtle taste and texture differences to others, while studies have shown they have 20 per cent more folate and twice as much vitamin B6 than avocados grown elsewhere.

Avoco is New Zealand’s largest exporter, with a 60 per cent market share. By season’s end it will have exported about 1.3 million trays with a value of $70m.

Australia takes 80 per cent of Avoco’s volume, followed by South Korea, Japan and Singapore which collectively comprise about 17 per cent of exports, and the emerging markets of Thailand, Malaysia and India make up the balance of 3 per cent.