Inspiring new markets: Showcasing the versatility and benefits of avocados in India

 

Avocados Australia is engaging Indian consumers through a dynamic new podcast series developed in collaboration with celebrity nutritionist Dr Shilpa Arora.

As interest in avocados grows in India, building familiarity remains key—both in terms of how to use the fruit and understanding its nutritional value. This 10-part series has been designed to address both, combining practical guidance with credible health insights.

While some episodes focus on how avocados can be incorporated into everyday meals and local cuisine, others explore the fruit’s direct and indirect health benefits—helping position avocados as both a versatile ingredient and a valuable addition to a balanced diet.

Episode 4, now available on the Avocados Australia YouTube channel, highlights how avocados can be used in Indian recipes—demonstrating how easily they can be adapted to suit familiar flavours and cooking styles.

👉 Watch Episode 4 – HERE

By blending culinary inspiration with trusted nutrition advice, the series creates a well-rounded introduction to avocados for Indian consumers—building confidence, relevance and appeal in this emerging market.

 

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This article appears as part of the 27 March 2026 issue of Guacamole, our e-Newsletter.

Avo Alerts Refreshed – Improved Grower Access to Information

 

Avo Alerts have recently been refreshed with a new format, which you may have noticed in last month’s update. The updated design is focused on making information easier to navigate and more practical to use when it’s needed.

While the core content remains the same, the refreshed format presents it in a clearer, more structured way.

• Key orchard activities are now easier to interpret at a glance, with improved layout and visual flow helping growers quickly identify priorities for the month and how they align with the production cycle.
• Access to supporting information has also been improved. Resource links to videos, factsheets and further reading are now grouped and more prominently displayed, making it quicker to find relevant materials when needed.
• Regional event information is also easier to locate, along with post-event resources such as forum summaries, bringing key updates together in one place.

 

Overall, the refreshed Avo Alerts are designed to improve usability and support faster, more confident decision-making in the orchard.

If you have any feedback or questions regarding Avo Alerts, please contact Bridie Carr bridie.carr@dpi.qld.gov.au or your regional lead.

Avo Alerts are developed for each major production region to help Australian avocado growers keep track of key orchard activities throughout the year. Produced by the AV23010 extension project team, the alerts are sent to growers each month and highlight what to keep an eye on in the current month and the one ahead.

To access the Avo Alerts for your region, please log on to the Best Practice Resource and visit the Australian Agronomy section of the BPR Library where you will find the most recent Avo Alerts stored.

 

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This article appears as part of the 27 March 2026 issue of Guacamole, our e-Newsletter.

 

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This article appears as part of the 27 March 2026 issue of Guacamole, our e-Newsletter.

Lunch & Learn Webinar Recording Now Available

 

A recording of the recent Lunch & Learn webinar Growing Robust Avocados is now available for those who were unable to attend. Delivered as part of the Australian Avocado Industry Development and Extension Project (AV23010), in collaboration with the AV21005 Growing Robust Avocados project, the session focused on practical strategies to improve fruit robustness and quality outcomes.

The webinar explored how calcium management and orchard practices influence fruit performance, with a strong focus on applying the ‘Robustness Wheel’ principles in a commercial setting.

Grower take-home messages include:

• Optimise fruit calcium uptake using the interacting ‘Robustness Wheel’ principles
• Fruit calcium uptake occurs only through the transpiration stream
• Calcium investment in fruit is limited to the 6–10 weeks following fruit set
• Strategic gypsum management is required to achieve peak soil calcium levels during this critical period
• Timing and rate of gypsum applications depend on gypsum form and soil release patterns
• Measure and manage robustness through soil solution and fruit nutrient skin monitoring
• Effective soil calcium loading also supports improved nitrogen nutrition

Missed the webinar? You can now watch the recording at a time that suits you…

 

👉 CLICK HERE to access the webinar recording in the BPR Library (log in and you will be automatically directed to the webpage)

🔗 Additional resources are also available on the BPR Nutrition page.

If you have any questions, please contact Geoff Dickinson geoff.dickinson@dpi.qld.gov.au the Growing Robust Avocados project leader, or your regional lead.

Exclusive Bunnings Trade Pricing Now Available for Grower Members

 

Avocados Australia is excited to announce a new partnership with Bunnings Trade, delivering exclusive trade pricing benefits to Avocados Australia Grower Members.

This new member benefit provides access to Bunnings Trade PowerPass commercial pricing, designed to support your business operations and help reduce everyday input costs. It’s another practical initiative focused on delivering real value to growers across Australia.

What’s Included?🔧

Avocados Australia Grower Members with a linked PowerPass account receive:

💲 Exclusive Organisations pricing across a wide range of products

📦 Project-based pricing support for specialised or large-scale requirements

🏬 In-store Trade Specialist support in every Bunnings store

🛠 Access to an extensive supplier network, enabling sourcing beyond the standard warehouse range

This support can assist with:

• Orchard maintenance and infrastructure upgrades
• Irrigation and landscaping supplies
• Worker accommodation fit-outs (including appliances and kitchens)
• Large-scale agricultural or property improvements

Whether you’re purchasing day-to-day supplies or planning a major capital project, this benefit is structured to support both operational efficiency and long-term investment.

How to Apply📝

This benefit is available exclusively to current Avocados Australia Grower Members and is subject to membership verification.

To access the pricing:

• Register online via the Bunnings Trade x Avocados Australia registration form (fastest option), or
• Email Organisations@bunnings.com.au with your Avocados Australia membership details.

 

Once your membership is verified, your PowerPass account will be aligned to the Avocados Australia commercial pricing structure.

Grower members are encouraged to register and take advantage of this new partnership, designed to provide tangible savings and dedicated support for avocado businesses nationwide.

👉 For more information please visit the Member Benefits page on the Avocados Australia website.

 

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This article appears as part of the 27 March 2026 issue of Guacamole, our e-Newsletter.

AAL joins consortium in Canberra to tackle top grower issues

 

Avocados Australia, as a member of the National Farmers Federation Horticulture Council and the Compliance Taskforce has joined with a consortium from across the industry this week to engage with Ministers, parliamentarians and Department of Agriculture staff on key issues include the current fuel crisis, food security strategy, compliance, chemical regulation, DAFF export cost recovery and workforce.

In addition, the Council held a workshop focused specifically on Market-driven Compliance with a range of stakeholders from industry including auditors, certifying bodies, standard owners, growers and Council members to unpack the key issues and determine shared priorities and a path forward.

The Council’s ‘Aligning an Ensemble’ discussion paper, unpacks opportunities for greater harmony and Avocados Australia members will be kept informed on developments and provided opportunities for input via member communications.

🔗 Read the discussion paper:  https://bit.ly/3Py8WiC

Please reach out to Market Development Manager, Hayleigh Dawson at mdm@avocado.org.au if you would like to discuss further.

 

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This article appears as part of the 27 March 2026 issue of Guacamole, our e-Newsletter.

Strong start for exported Shepard

 

Retail quality monitoring in Hong Kong continued throughout February and March 2026 as part of the Avocado International Retail Quality Benchmarking project (AV24015). Funded through the Hort Innovation avocado R&D levy, the project is benchmarking Australian avocado quality against competitor countries in Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur.

The first Shepard samples for the project have now been collected and assessed, with 20 samples collected through February and March so far. All 20 samples were rated as acceptable (<10% internal defects), representing an excellent result for the start of the Shepard season (Figure 1). The average fruit age at purchase for these samples was 12 days, which may have contributed to the high quality observed in these initial samples.

Figure 1. An example of a high-quality Shepard sample

Hass season ends on a high

 

With the Australian Hass season now concluded, it is possible to review the overall quality of exported Hass avocados. Between November 2025 and February 2026, the project collected 22 samples of Australian Hass and 22 samples of competitor Hass, totalling 44 samples. Australian Hass achieved an average acceptability rate of 94% across this period, compared to 65% for competitor fruit samples collected over the same timeframe.

Notably, quality remained consistent across the four months of monitoring conducted during the Hass season (Figure 2). Australian Hass avocados met or exceeded the industry target of 90% acceptable fruit in every month of monitoring — an excellent result. By contrast, competitor fruit collected during the same period failed to reach the 90% acceptable threshold in any month in which samples were collected.

Figure 2. Hass quality in Hong Kong by country of origin.

Quality monitoring will continue in Hong Kong, with four samples collected weekly from major retailers including Wellcome, Market Place and PARKnSHOP. Monitoring will expand to Kuala Lumpur in April and continue weekly in both cities for two years as part of this benchmarking program. Project progress will continue to be shared via monthly Guacamole summaries and Talking Avocados articles and presented at regional forums and webinars.

 

More information

For further details please contact Henry Hyde henry.hyde@ahr.com.au or Adam Goldwater adam.goldwater@ahr.com.au at AHR.

Acknowledgements

The Avocado International Retail Quality Benchmarking project (AV24015) has been funded by Hort Innovation, using the avocado research and development levy and contributions from the Australian Government. Hort Innovation is the grower-owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for Australian horticulture.

 

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This article appears as part of the 27 March 2026 issue of Guacamole, our e-Newsletter.

Avocado Ripeness Scanner Hits National TV

 

An Australian-first in-store avocado ripeness scanner trial – delivered through the Monitoring avocado supply chain quality project (AV22011) – has stepped into the national spotlight, featuring on Nine’s Today Show and highlighting how industry-led innovation is improving the consumer experience.

Led by Avocados Australia in collaboration with Applied Horticultural Research and Dutch agri-tech company OneThird, the trial reflects a coordinated industry effort to address an important consumer and supply chain challenge.

During the segment, Avocados Australia’s Market Development Manager Hayleigh Dawson demonstrated the scanner live on air, explaining how the technology works and its potential benefits for both consumers and the industry.

The scanner uses near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to rapidly and non-destructively assess avocado firmness, providing shoppers with clear guidance on when fruit will be ready to eat, along with storage recommendations. This helps remove the guesswork for consumers and reduces the need to squeeze fruit, a major cause of bruising.

Finding a perfectly ripe avocado remains one of the biggest challenges for consumers, with research showing around 75% are looking for fruit ready to eat within two days. At the same time, nearly half of shoppers squeeze multiple avocados before purchasing, contributing to unnecessary damage and waste.

The trial is also showing how the device can generate valuable real-time data and insights for retailers, helping to monitor fruit firmness on shelf, improve merchandising strategies and reduce waste. Early results show strong engagement, with the scanner being used on approximately 45% of avocados sold in participating stores each week.

This trial highlights how collaborative innovation across the industry is supporting better quality outcomes, improving the retail experience and helping to drive domestic demand for Australian avocados.

📺 Watch the Today Show coverage: bit.ly/4lztaV4
🔗 Read the full media release: bit.ly/47Jf1yT

 

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This article appears as part of the 27 March 2026 issue of Guacamole, our e-Newsletter.

New Specifications Now Available !

 

A new set of Australian Avocado Industry Produce Specifications has been published in the Best Practice Resource (BPR) Packhouse section. These documents provide baseline grading standards to support consistency across key requirements for fruit quality, maturity, packaging, labelling and defect tolerances.

Four specifications are available covering Premium, Class 1, Class 2 and Processing fruit for Hass and Shepard varieties (with all varieties included for processing fruit). While individual customers or markets may have additional requirements, these specifications provide a practical industry reference point for growers, packers and supply chain partners.

👉 CLICK HERE to access the specifications in the Packhouse section of the BPR (log in and you will be automatically directed to the webpage).

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This article appears as part of the 13 March 2026 issue of Guacamole, our e-Newsletter.

February Ag-Chem Update highlights regulatory developments

 

The latest Hort Innovation Ag-Chem Update (February 2026) provides an overview of recent regulatory developments affecting agricultural chemicals, pesticide use and international maximum residue limits (MRLs) relevant to the horticulture sector.

At the national level, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) continues to manage a significant regulatory workload, completing more than 1,500 regulatory activities in the latest reporting period while finalising most product and permit applications within timeframe targets.

A new agreement between the APVMA and New Zealand Food Safety will allow both countries to share chemical assessment work, helping reduce duplication and potentially speed up access to new crop protection products for growers.

Several chemical reviews are also progressing, including paraquat/diquat, anticoagulant rodenticides, fipronil and neonicotinoids, which remain key regulatory reviews to watch over the coming year.

The update also highlights efforts to improve access to minor-use permits and streamline pathways for lower-risk products, which could help support integrated pest management and improve crop protection options for smaller crop sectors.

Internationally, a number of countries and regions have proposed or adopted changes to pesticide MRLs across various commodities, including developments through Codex Alimentarius, as well as regulatory updates from the European Union, United Kingdom, United States, China, Japan and Malaysia. Codex adopted maximum residue limits for azoxystrobin and prochloraz in avocados. No avocado-specific MRL changes were reported for key export markets such as Malaysia or Japan.

👉 Industry members are able to review the full update on the BPR HERE to stay informed about regulatory changes that may influence crop protection strategies, chemical availability and export market requirements.

 

 

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This article appears as part of the 13 March 2026 issue of Guacamole, our e-Newsletter.

Torres Strait exotic fruit fly eradication program extended

 

The National Exotic Fruit Fly in Torres Strait Eradication Program has been extended to June 2027, with an additional $3.1 million in funding to strengthen Australia’s biosecurity protections.

The program targets three exotic fruit fly species – oriental, melon and New Guinea fruit fly – which are present in nearby Papua New Guinea and pose a major threat to Australia’s horticulture industry. These pests can destroy a wide range of fruit and vegetable crops by laying eggs inside fruit, causing it to rot and become unmarketable.

The Torres Strait is considered a key entry point, with Papua New Guinea’s Western Province located just 3.6 km from Saibai Island. Exotic fruit flies can enter the region via seasonal winds or through the movement of produce and vessels.

First established in 1996 following an oriental fruit fly outbreak in Cairns, the program works to prevent these pests from establishing in Australia through activities such as trapping, baiting and strict movement controls on potential pathways for introduction.

The latest funding extension will support enhanced eradication activities on Badu Island, following two seasons of increased exotic fruit fly detections.

The program is delivered on the ground by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and the Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy within the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and is funded through the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed partnership between governments and industry.

Everyone has a role to play in protecting Australia from fruit fly. Travellers are reminded that fruit and vegetables cannot be brought into Australia without the appropriate permits, and home gardeners and growers are encouraged to inspect fruit trees regularly and report suspected exotic fruit fly to the Emergency Plant Pest Hotline (1800 084 881).

👉 More information about the program and how to identify exotic fruit flies is available at outbreak.gov.au.

 

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This article appears as part of the 13 March 2026 issue of Guacamole, our e-Newsletter.