According to Australian media reports, as relations between China and Australia warm up, Australian avocados are likely to be the next product to benefit, opening the door to the Chinese market.

John Tyas, CEO of Avocados Australia, said the group signed a memorandum of understanding with the China Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Association in November to ensure full sharing of inspection and quarantine information to drive market access. But China has strict sanitary and phytosanitary standards for fresh produce, which often lead to lengthy negotiations on agricultural export agreements. "We hope that the negotiations currently under way can make rapid progress," he added.

According to Avocados Australia, the Australian government is also trying to negotiate access to the Chinese market for apple and blueberries, while the Chinese government is trying to get red dates and kiwifruit into the Australian market.

based in Queensland, Avocados Australia comprises avocado growers, related businesses and other practitioners. Australian avocado production peaks between April and December each year, with Hass varieties accounting for about 83% of total production and ripening throughout the year. This is followed by Shepard varieties, which account for 14% of the total production and mature in February-April each year. Although Australian avocado production cannot compete with Mexico and South American countries, due to suitable growing conditions, production has exploded, and Australia's domestic market has been severely oversupplied. In recent years, there has been a large supply of high-quality avocados in the Australian market, and the industry urgently needs to explore overseas markets.

Official information from the Queensland government shows 115,385 tonnes of avocados were produced in Australia in the 2022/23 season to September, with 65 per cent of production coming from Queensland. With access to the Chinese market, China is expected to become the largest export market for Australian avocados, with an estimated market size of A $23.7 billion ($15.8 billion).

Tyas said the trade body and Australian exporters will conduct a visit to Yunnan Province later this year to meet with Chinese wholesalers, importers and retailers to learn about opportunities in the market. They will also attend an international food exhibition in Shanghai at the end of August and focus on visiting first-tier cities, including Guangzhou.

Tyas explained that Australia mainly exports avocados to Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and India, with Hong Kong alone accounting for 47.54% of the market. Japan used to be the largest avocado market in Asia, but China has now overtaken Japan. From 2015 to 2023, China's total avocado import and export trade increased by 49,600 tons, an increase of about 310.47%, with a compound annual growth rate of about 19.31%; The total import and export trade increased by $106 million, an increase of about 234.99%, with a compound annual growth rate of about 16.31%, and China has gradually become one of the important new markets for avocado international trade.