Some Shepard samples still not passing 21% DM

The AV22011 wholesale maturity monitoring program assessed nine samples of North Queensland Shepard collected from the wholesale market last week. Two samples did not meet the minimum 21% dry matter standard, with average results ranging from 19% to 24%. Over the nine samples (90 fruit in total) there were 29 fruit below 21% DM, including 3 fruit below 16% DM.

North and Central Queensland avocado growing regions comprise many micro-climates of different temperatures and altitudes. It is important that all growers conduct maturity testing of their orchards by block, to better understand this each year and to pick blocks in order of maturity once they have passed 21% DM.  🥑🔍

Well done to growers Ceres Avocados, Gorge Creek Avocados, Howe Farming Enterprises, Kalahari Farms (Whiterock), Lakeshore, P & T Pezzelato and Paradise Orchards whose fruit was sampled and exceeded the minimum maturity standard, in this round

📊 To continue to assist with understanding the dry matter variation during the early weeks of harvest, you can monitor your region’s 2025 dry matter results on the AV22011 project web page. De-identified sample data will be posted on this page, including Central QLD Shepard results as they start to be sampled.

For further information on wholesale monitoring, contact Anne Larard (quality@avocado.org.au) from Avocados Australia.

This article appears as part of the 3 March 2025 issue of Guacamole.

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