Dumped avos warning

AN ocean of avocados dumped at a Far North waste depot (right) has been described as low grade fruit unable to fetch the grower a decent return at market.

A video showing an estimated 50 to 100 tonnes of avocados being left at the Tablelands Regional Council’s Atherton Waste Depot on Monday has shocked many residents, but the sight is not a rarity to those in the industry.

Australian Fresh Produce Alliance chief executive officer, Michael Rogers, said an oversupply of the popular homegrown fruit highlighted a need for more overseas markets to export to.

“No one dumps that amount of fruit or veg lightly,” he said.

“They have grown it, they’ve put the chemicals into it, water on it and in the avocados case they’ve obviously picked it. So, a farmer has been in a really difficult position. They probably haven’t had anywhere to sell it and they’ve taken the decision to dump it.”

An Avocados Australia spokeswoman said the fruit was inspected by a representativeon Monday and “blemishes and bruises” meant the product had limited trade value. With avocados selling for as little as $1 each in recent times, supply and demand constraints have put the squeeze on some farmers.

Coles and Woolworths have declared they are only selling Australian avocados, debunking a theory New Zealand products were being preferred.

A Coles spokeswoman said it is “currently stocking 100 per cent Australian avocados in our supermarkets”.

A Woolworths spokesman said the company paid the market price for avocados “which is determined by supply and demand” but all stock was Australian grown.

“Favourable growing conditions and recently-planted avocado trees have increased the volume of avocados being harvested in Australia in recent years,” she said.

Growcom acting chief executive officer, Richard Shannon, warned against anyone eating the unused avocados, which would be turned into compost.

“If you walk across these things you can’t be confident as to the reason why they have been dumped, and if it’s safe for human consumption,” he said.

“That could be one of the reasons why they have been dumped.”

He said an oversupply of avocados was one of many reasons some growers opted to send their product to waste.