Avocado market access and trade development (AV20004)
What was it all about?
This project transformed the Australian avocado export industry by expanding existing markets, accessing new ones, and building industry capacity to support the rapid increase in avocado production. It resulted in a 600 per cent increase in export volumes, generating an estimated return of over $10.5 million.
Challenges
The Australian avocado industry faced mounting pressure to expand exports as domestic production surged, challenging profitability. Navigating complex export regulations and securing access to international markets proved to be significant obstacles. Developing a comprehensive export strategy and equipping growers and exporters with the skills and knowledge to enter new markets were critical steps.
Robust supply chain systems were essential for maintaining compliance and ensuring quality standards at scale. Additionally, fostering international relationships and aligning industry goals with government priorities were pivotal to unlocking new opportunities. Overcoming logistical and regulatory hurdles demanded coordinated efforts, expert guidance, and a commitment to global competitiveness.
Response
The project addressed the challenges through a multi-faceted approach, a Project Reference Group was established to guide priorities and ensure alignment with the Australian Avocado Export Strategy. Key activities included engaging with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) to secure access to new markets, organising workshops and seminars to educate growers on export protocols, and implementing an export registration system.
The project also facilitated trade missions, attended international trade shows, and published educational resources to raise industry awareness. These efforts were complemented by close collaboration with stakeholders, including government bodies and industry organizations, ensuring the delivery of impactful, outcome-driven solutions.
Benefit
The project significantly advanced the Australian avocado export industry, increasing export volumes by over 600 per cent to 21,979 tonnes by October 2024. Growers gained essential skills to meet export standards, achieving a 100 per cent approval rate of export registrants by DAFF each year.
New markets in Thailand and India opened, while existing ones were strengthened, creating new revenue opportunities. Stronger stakeholder relationships fostered trust and collaboration, enhancing supply chain efficiency and sustainability. These achievements bolstered the global reputation of Australian avocados, ensuring the industry's resilience, competitiveness, and long-term success in high-value international markets.
Over the past six months, the project team has been busy with a range of activities and communications that have supported the industry's export development. Part of the focus for the second half of 2022 has been producing and publishing two videos (a trade showcase video and a protocol training video) and leading a group of over 20 growers to SE Asia including attending Asia Fruit Logistica.
The project team also directed efforts toward supporting other export-related projects, including Serviced Supply Chains II (AM21000), and was heavily involved in formulating avocado export marketing planning for 2022 to 2024. In the last six months, the project team has been actively working with Hort Innovation and Austrade on a number of initiatives. There are also market visits planned for February 2023 to the middle east with Gulfood and a market visit to Hong Kong to conduct a Shepard training workshop with importers and retailers to help grow the Shepard avocado category.
During this reporting period, the project team have been focusing on:
Market access business cases
A market access business case for South Korea was developed by the Project Team including trade data analysis and consultation with a potential importer. A new business case for Vietnam is currently under development.
Economic case study
An economic case study that provides insights from the Australian table grape industry’s export journey has been completed. A total of four candidates were interviewed (three growers/exporters and Jeff Scott, CEO of the Australian Table Grape Association) to provide the learnings and challenges the industry has encountered in the past 20 years. The outputs from this activity are an interview summary report and a 20 minutes interview video which are available on Avocados Australia’s Best Practice Resource library. The case study content will be shared at the regional export forums.
Regional Export Forums
Due to COVID travel restrictions, one forum has been completed (Western Australia), one has been scheduled for March 2022 in Central Queensland and the remaining (four) are being planned for the remainder of the 2022 calendar year. The content and presentations will be tailored to the needs of each region, guided by consultation with the regional Avocados Australia director and other key growers in the region.
The Western Australia Regional Export Forum was held in May 2021 to promote the Japan protocol and the new online registration system for protocol accreditation.
The regions which are yet to receive protocol market access will be presented with content including trade development, case study, supply chain quality and other key export-related topics.
This project is a strategic levy investment in the Hort Innovation Avocado Fund