New Zealand's largest avocado exporter, AVOCO, has launched a campaign to increase its market share following a season which saw Orchard Gate Returns far exceed grower expectations.

Bay of Plenty AVOCO growers received an all size average return for 2014-15 of more than $15 a tray - a result which has proven the company's ability to succeed in all market conditions.

AVOCO directors John Carroll (left) and Alistair Young.

The season was a record-breaking year for the industry with 4.5 million trays exported out of a national crop of over 7 million trays. New Zealand's previous export high was three years ago when 3.7 million trays were sent offshore.

AVOCO handled 2.8 million trays, accounting for about 62% of total exports. Around two-thirds of shipments went to Australia while the rest was split between Asia and the US and marketed through AVANZA.

Director John Carroll expects the company's ‘stellar' OGR result will motivate many non-suppliers in the Bay of Plenty to choose AVOCO over its competitors.

'We've developed something special at AVOCO in just two seasons and this year's result is proof of that. We had to carefully manage Australia, which was experiencing its own bumper crop, and trade under some prohibitive foreign exchange conditions.

'But despite that, our estimate of the shift in OGR between this season and the last heavy one is a lift of 50 per cent. As a result, AVOCO growers will receive 50 per cent more money per tray.”

John says AVOCO is a commercial force that has the critical mass to manage harvest volumes and fruit flow better than ever before. However, more growers would help to further consolidate their supply and maximise returns to growers, especially during years of heavy volume.