This project enabled Costa Group to understand more about their own farming operations, variability across blocks, and how to best manage all parts of the supply chain to deliver most robust avocados to customers.
Shara Jones, Costa Group
Australian avocado production is tipped to reach 170,000 tonnes this year (2026), but despite the prevalence of smashed avocado on cafe menus, domestic consumption simply isn't high enough to maintain a profitable margin for growers.
As supply continues to increase, the industry's focus has turned to export opportunities, particularly Asia. Fortunately for Australian growers, consumers across the region believe the product is of higher-quality and are prepared to pay a premium price.
To ensure that Australian-grown avocados destined for the export market can meet the expectations of international consumers, Costa Group must have confidence their product can withstand the long and complex export journey.
This project developed a data model that identifies the lead indicators of avocado robustness such as growing conditions, harvest timing, storage duration and temperature, along with handling practices. These ‘lead indicators’ were then used to determine if and when an avocado is suitable for export.
The Queensland Department of Primary Industries (QDPI) performed laboratory tests for robustness on avocados from different growing regions in Queensland and Northern NSW. At the same time, Costa Avocado and QDPI conducted monitoring trials to measure fruit maturity, mineral composition, defects, and shelf-life.
Then, researchers from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) analysed this data to create a bespoke decision support system that:
February 2024 - Blog: Food for Thought: Sustainable Supply Chains
September 2023 - Final Report: Improving Avocado Exports
June 2022 - Research Symposium: Improving Avocado Exports, Apurva Khemani, Queensland University of Technology
