avocados

For the second consecutive year, New Zealand’s Seeka Kiwifruit has posted above-average returns for its avocado growers.

In the 2014/15 season, Seeka’s avocado growers earned an average OGR of NZ$16.03 per export tray, with average yields growing from 12.3 tonnes per hectare in 2013/14 to 12.9 tonnes per hectare in 2014/15.

The high yields saw a n total OGR of NZ$45,862 per hectare in 2013/14, well above that year’s industry average OGR of NZ$20,721.

Seeka growers' average yields rose from 12.3 tonnes per hectare in 2013-14 to 12.9 tonnes per hectare in 2014-15.

“We are a boutique company in terms of avocados,” Seeka’s CEO Michael Franks told the NZ Herald. “But the strategic advantage for our growers is we are fully integrated from orchard to market.

“We control our supply chain and, as this year’s returns confirm, we are very effective at managing our supply of fruit to maximise pricing for growers.”

Part of Seeka's strategy was focusing on its export market in Australia, targeting periods of higher demand during lulls in domestic production, but maintaining a disciplined approach.

'Our approach results in maximum market returns, while maintaining high quality standards. And we were very disciplined and responsible, to ensure we didn't compromise the price for other New Zealand avocado exporters,' SeekaFresh manager Annma.rie Lee told the publication.

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