Avo love keeps prices high
Australians’ love affair with avocados is creating a bonanza for Queensland farmers, who are set to earn close to 50 per cent more than in recent years. But consumers are likely to face continued high prices as demand outstrips supply. Farmers are set to rake in $240 million from avocado sales this financial year.
AUSTRALIANS’ love affair with avocados is creating a bonanza for Queensland farmers, who are set to earn close to 50 per cent more than in recent years.
But consumers are likely to face continued high prices as demand outstrips supply.
In a sign of how popular the crop has become, Queensland farmers are being forced to wait up to three years to buy specialist planting equipment because nurseries have advance bookings.
“You can’t decide today to grow avocados and start growing them in a few months time,” Avocados Australia chief John Tyas told the Cairns Post.
“Because so many people are wanting to expand their orchards and there are new people coming in, we have got a real shortage of planting material.”
It then takes up to six years for trees to mature.
Queensland’s latest AgTrends data reveals avocados are one of the most increasingly lucrative crops.
Farmers are set to rake in $240 million from avocado sales this financial year, which is 44 per cent more than average for the past five years.
Agriculture Minister Mark Furner said “increasing demand and production” was helping.