New Zealand's avocado industry today announced it has more than doubled its sales from last season to $136m, setting new records in both export and New Zealand markets.

The return eclipses the previous sales record of $84.1million set in 2009-2010 and is far in excess of the $60.4m worth of avocados sold last year.

New Zealand's avocado industry has more than doubled its sales from last season. Photo: file.

NZ Avocado chief executive Jen Scoular says this season's success is due to a number of reasons, including initiatives that are transforming the industry into a more cohesive and competitive sector.

Jen says the Australian and NZ markets have performed very well, and discipline by the market players to match supply and demand has played a big part in that.

'Our focus over the last 12 months has been to promote far more collaboration across the avocado industry – with growers, packers, NZ marketers, exporters and those supporting our industry.

'This has allowed us to start addressing and resolving issues that have previously held us back.”

The season has seen the successful amalgamation of the company's two largest exporters into one exporting group to its largest market in Australia – and the continued collaboration of three exporters under one brand into Asia.

This April, the Avocado Industry Council secured a Primary Growth Partnership programme with the Ministry for Primary Industries to significantly increase productivity and capability, to increase sales to $280m by 2023.

The five year programme, New Zealand Avocados Go Global, will leverage the growing demand in NZ and in Asia for premium, safe, and healthy produce.

'There's a world-wide trend towards eating fresh, healthy food and the nutritional benefits of eating avocados are now widely recognised and understood by consumers,” says Jen.

'This presents us with a fantastic opportunity to capitalise on this season's sales growth going forward.”

Jen says irregular bearing remains a major challenge to being able to guarantee a consistent supply of avocados from year-to-year.

This is being addressed with research being undertaken collaboratively between NZ Avocado, Plant and Food Research, industry experts and growers.

This season's $135.9m return comprises of 4.9-metre 5.5kg trays of avocados. A total of $102.9m worth was exported, while $33m worth was sold in NZ.

Last year a total of 2.6million trays were produced, totalling $31.7m worth of exports, and $28.7m of local sales.

Jen says this season's record results also reflect the increased promotional and market development activities to raise visibilities for the amazing attributes of avocados – and to drive consumption.

'Nadia Lim, the NZ Avocado's ambassador, has been a great asset in raising the profile of avocados both here at home and overseas.”

NZ Avocado Growers Association and Avocado Industry Council Ltd chairperson, Ashby Whitehead, says continued collaboration across all sectors of the NZ avocado industry, plus discussions and partnerships with government, scientists and experts from other horticultural fields will help push industry growth going forward.

'The industry has never been in a better position,” says Ashby. 'We are identifying opportunities, prioritising markets and addressing obstacles on a path to becoming a high value, sustainable horticulture industry delivering real returns to New Zealand.”

The New Zealand avocado industry is the third largest fresh fruit export from NZ.

NZ Avocado Growers' Association Inc and Avocado Industry Council Ltd work with the ZN industry to set export standards, facilitate market access, promote NZ avocados and provide technical information to all NZ growers. There are more than 1600 growers based mainly in the Bay of Plenty and Northland.