Avocado industry development and extension project (AV23010)

What is it all about?

This investment enhances the Australian avocado industry's profitability, preparedness and competitiveness through an extension program that promotes best management practices.

The program seeks to inspire adoption of best practice in priority practice change areas identified and endorsed by growers and industry stakeholders during the Australian avocado industry development and extension project co-design workshop held in May 2023. The focus areas include disease management, nutrition management, pest management, irregular and alternate bearing, irrigation management, and propagation practices.

The program aims to achieve participation from 60 per cent of all grower entities, representing more than 70 per cent of the total Australian avocado production. The project team will employ various strategies to encourage adoption, including face-to-face events, masterclasses, practical workshops, technical content, and effective communication through a technical newsletter, the industry communications project and the Best Practice Resource website.

The project will support the delivery of the Australian Avocado Industry Extension Strategy 2023-2027 outcomes of:

• Ninety per cent of consignments meet industry targets for fruit quality, with less than 10 per cent internal defects.
• Annual industry exports of more than 20,000 tonnes.
• Average industry marketable yield of more than 10t/ha
• Eighty per cent of the industry participates in five business management capability services annually.

Regional approach

Introducing dedicated regional leads represents a new approach that will significantly assist in establishing and maintaining regional networks. It also ensures that growers in each region have a dedicated project contact, simplifying communication and providing tailored support for the specific needs of each region.

The six key regions and regional lead for annual grower events and regional networks are:

• North Queensland (led by DAF Mareeba)
• Central Queensland (led by DAF SEQ)
• South Queensland (led by DAF SEQ)
• Central NSW (led by AHR)
• Tristate NSW (led by NSW DPI)
• Western Australia (South-West & Perth) (led by DPIRD)

The two face-to-face annual events that will be delivered in each of the regions include:

1.  practical 'best practice workshop' focuses on delivering information on the identified priority practice change areas and is designed to cater to less experienced growers and staff. These workshops will prioritise key messages and adopt an informal approach to facilitate meaningful discussions and engagement.
2. A regional forum will focus on delivering grower-ready R&D outcomes in priority practice change areas. An industry update, provided by Avocados Australia staff or the regional director, will also be included in the agenda. These forums will be tailored for more experienced growers and staff. 

The program will also deliver a host of other activities to support the development of the avocado industry. This includes but is not limited to:

• Attendance of project staff to key industry events such as the 2027 World Avocado Congress, 2025 Avocado Brainstorming, annual Hort Connections event, biennial APEN conference, and biennial Australian Avocado R&D Forum.
• Participate in National Avocado Extension Committee meetings.
• Organise and attend the international study tour with two project staff.
• Monthly' Avo Alerts' for all production regions and two varieties.
• One core best practice workshop delivered in each major growing region annually.
• One regional forum delivered in each major growing region per year.
• Four technical newsletters a year.
• Four podcasts.
• Six irrigation management masterclasses.
• Six sprayer workshops.
• One case study video a year.
• Two webinars per year.

The avocado industry communications program will actively promote the project events and activities through their quarterly industry magazine and regular emails to growers about upcoming events and opportunities to get involved.