The price of avocados in Australia is finally dropping, and the fruit is also increasing in quality. Avocados Australia CEO John Tyas told Daily Mail Australia that prices have eased due to supply and demand.
'We have better supply in the market than we had post-Christmas period and so there is plenty of fruit coming through the supply chain and meeting demand,' Mr Tyas said.
He said retail prices at major Australian supermarkets have dropped over the last couple of months down from $3.50 to $1.90.
'While there were reports of some smaller independent outlets selling avocados at around $6 per piece in Victoria, this wasn’t the norm,' Mr Tyas said.
'Most of the fruit supplied in the market right now is the Shepard type with the green skin which doesn't turn brown when cut.
'That variety will finish by the end of May but we're seeing the new Hass fruit starting to be harvested now.'
The Hass fruit makes up for about 80 per cent of avocado types in Australia, and is the main one we see throughout the year.
'Shepard makes up only 15 per cent from February to May in the market. It's got green skin so it doesn't change colour when it ripens. Other green skin types are quite minor in terms of total supply,' Mr Tyas said.
At the moment, supplies are estimated at 200,000 trays a week, the standard level, compared to the post-Christmas period when it was down to about 140,000 trays a week.
But the standard level is increasing year on year, according to Mr Tyas. In the spring of 2015, around 360,000 avocados were being produced each week, 'so it can vary considerably but the stable market is around 200,000 to 250,000.'
'Even earlier we got down to about 110,000 in the last week just before Christmas. A couple of weeks before and after Christmas was about half of what the normal supply is.'
'Levels at the moment are what we consider normal levels and that time around Christmas and New Year you've got high demand because of usage in salads.
'Demand tends to ease coming into the cooler months, so we're keen for consumers to realise they can use avocados in warm dishes like Mexican foods - tacos, burritos, even pastas,' Mr Tyas said.
Mr Tyas told Daily Mail Australia supplies will be fairly steady throughout the year.
'There is no reason for any shortages in the foreseeable future but again it's a long way between now and the end of the year - it depends what happens with crops between now and December.'
'But supply in South Australia is going to be good again with plenty of fruit right through the year. It won't be as bad as last year when there were weather events affecting harvesting last spring.
