Improving the avocado supply chainJodie Campbell & Terry Campbell, Primary Industries & Fisheries, DEEDI
The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2009
Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
Successful chains
Profitability for all chain members
Focus on customers Efficient logistics and
distribution
Produce and deliver the right product
Effective communication
and relationships
Create & share value
Influential captainto lead chain and drive improvement
Improving knowledge
and practices
Deliver value and satisfaction to end customer
The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2009
Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
What do consumers want?Avocados that are free from Flesh bruising Rots Skin spotting
The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2009
Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
Improvement in the supply chain
Monitoring
MappingWhat are the current
procedures and practices?
Verifying what is actually occurring
AnalysisIdentifying areas of
improvement
R & D
Fill knowledge gaps
Recommend changes to procedures or practices
Change in practiceContinuous
improvement
The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2009
Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
Managing avocado quality through the supply chain Avocado quality can deteriorate throughout the supply chain and is
dependant upon growing and handling practices
GrowingHarvesting Packing Transport Retail ConsumerGrowing
?
Ripening
The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2009
Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
Quality defect skin spotting on Hass Skin spotting = nodule damage Can be an entry point for disease Skin spotting accumulates down the
supply chain Skin spotting may not be visible once
avocados start to colour (at retail)
The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2009
Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
Unacceptable levels of skin spotting
The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2009
Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
Skin spotting on Hass Assessing where skin spotting is occurring in the supply chain
Off the tree2.5%
Harvest
8.3%Shed receival
9.8%
After brushes12%
End of pack line
18.6%
Retail
Visability dependant upon colour
stage at retail
The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2009
Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
A Commercial robustness test
The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2009
Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
Preliminary results Statistically significant correlation between
19%DM robustness test & the commercial simulation test (24% DM)
The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2009
Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
Grower feedback Identified several factors that can affect quality
Heavily pruned blocks = poorer fruit quality Light yields = poorer fruit quality High vegetative vigour = poorer fruit quality
The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2009
Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
Growers opinions on how they could use the data1. Decision making regarding a late fungicide
application2. Timing of harvest to optimize quality (relating to
optimum fruit maturity)3. Help with marketing decisions4. Useful to rank their quality against other growers &
identify blocks that need improving
The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2009
Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
Avocado hazard analysis
The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2009
Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
Information and training guides Colour and handling guide Quality and handling guide Ripening guide Handling avocados at export destinations Handling and ripening avocados in export markets
The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2009
Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
Bruising avocados in the supply chainSusceptibility to bruising increases as fruit ripens and with drop height
D
r
o
p
h
e
i
g
h
t
(
m
m
)
500
100
250
rubbery sprung firm ripeat Retailat Storage and Ripening
The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2009
Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
Handle packages and fruit carefully
Avocados dropped from only 100mm will bruise
Bruising at retail
The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2009
Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2009
Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
Conclusions
Problems are compounded throughout the chain and co-operation of all members is needed
to solve them
Information and training is required to improve chain performance
Monitoring tools are available for managing fruit quality