Page 22 - Tropic Magazine Issue 22

TROPIC • AGRICULTURE

Rich pickings

EXPORT POTENTIAL
As Tropical North Queensland
avocado farmers begin their
annual harvest, the pressure
is on to secure new export John Tyas,
Avocados
markets. Australia
Words: Renee Cluff Tablelands bounty
Avocados are now easily the highest AGRICULTURE SNAPSHOT
value horticulture crop on the The annual value of
Atherton Tablelands, worth $173 agricultural output on the
million annually. Production has
more than doubled in the past five Atherton Tablelands is now
years, making the region the highest $528 million, an increase
producer of avocados in the country, of 45% since 2015.
accounting for around 30 per cent of
the national crop. CEO of Avocados Top performers
Australia, John Tyas, said it’s a figure Blue Sky Produce AVOCADOS
which will continue to grow as new also eating more of the creamy fruit, $173 million
plantings reach maturity. “We’re domestic consumption isn’t keeping
forecasting production will increase up with the rise in production, BANANAS
strongly in the next few years, to at climbing just 8%. The race is now on to $97 million
secure new export markets. “I’ve done MANGOES
the analysis and over the next three $58 million
years, we either need to increase our
exports eight fold or increase domestic CITRUS
We’re forecasting consumption by 20% to maintain the $56 million
production will increase supply and demand balance,” Mr Tyas BLUEBERRIES
said. “We exported just 3,195 tonnes,
strongly in the next or 3.7% of our domestic production in $43 million
few years 2017/18, mostly to Singapore, Malaysia PAPAYA
$19 million
and Hong Kong.”
The industry is focused on opening
John Tyas, POTATOES
Avocados up new markets in Japan, China $18 million
Australia and India and is working with the
Australian government to secure
necessary biosecurity protocols. Note: The figures don’t include dairy or
least 115,000 tonnes a year by 2025,” he While Australian avocados are already sugar cane
said. Nationwide production already entering Japan, fruit from Queensland Source: Mareeba Chamber of
Commerce 2019/20 Economic Snapshot
increased by 11% between 2017/18 and is banned because of the presence
2018/19 and while Australians are of fruit fly.

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22 • Tropic • Issue 22