Avocados growers in Western Australia (WA) could have the opportunity to export to Japan and Thailand, according to local media Weekly Times Now. 

Avocados Australia chief executive John Tyas reportedly said that after a number of years of negotiations, Japan confirmed it would undertake an audit of avocado export packers in the major production region in late February.

Thailand has also proposed to undertake an audit of the WA avocado companies in August, the story said.

Tyas was quoted as saying it was “very likely” WA growers would have market access to Japan and Thailand for their next season.

“Thailand has recently provided a draft new protocol for Australian Hass avocado exports from Western Australia based on conditional non-host status for Mediterranean Fruit fly,” Tyas was quoted as saying.

“Further review is required, but from an initial review the protocol appears to reflect our requests and will be workable for Australian exporters.”

He added there was research currently underway to develop data packages to support a Hass conditional non-host protocol for Queensland Fruit fly, and those packages will be used to seek access to Japan, Thailand, and other markets.

Australia produces less than 2% of the world's avocados, according to the article, and in 2015-16 Singapore and Malaysia were the country's main avocado export markets.

Speaking to Fresh Fruit Portal in June last year, Jennie Franceschi, who runs WA-based Advanced Packing and Marketing Services (APMS) said there had been numerous new plantings in the region, and expected output to more than triple to 4.2 million 5.5-kilo-equivalent trays within the coming years.

Photo: www.shutterstock.com

www.freshfruitportal.com