Australian avocados and broccoli are in continued demand, meaning farmers are likely to keep increasing plantings of the popular crops and look for new markets, according to the latest Rural Bank horticulture update.
Rural Bank’s Ag Answers team attributed double-digit growth in avocado sales since 2014 to increased supply and the “smashed avocado” phenomenon.
Increased demand for Australian broccoli from markets such as Singapore and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was triggered by both markets failing to produce enough of the product themselves to satisfy consumer demand.
While vegetable exports fell by 3 per cent overall compared to 2016, the good news was the Singapore and UAE markets grew by 8 per cent and 11 per cent respectively.
Fruit exports fell 13 per cent year-on-year – yet domestic apple consumption was a bright spot, increasing 17 per cent since 2014.
Another growth area was in demand for loose-leaf lettuce exports from Singapore in the period, with a strong 86.3 per cent increase.
Rural Bank agribusiness general manager Andrew Smith said the increased appetite at home and abroad for certain Australian fruit and vegetables created opportunity for producers to continue growing their businesses to meet this increased demand.
