Maturity testing requirements – 2026
Eurofins maturity testing services for both local and export market avocados will commence on 6 May 2026.
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- All maturity clearance test requests must be made through your packer
- Growers cannot book tests directly
Eurofins will provide avocado collection services two days per week on Mondays and Wednesdays. Collection and testing services will increase as seasonal demand dictates.
NZ Avocado will cover the cost of maturity collection and testing by Eurofins until blanket clearance is given, for tests that pass the requirements outlined below.
Cost coverage (NZ Avocado Subsidy)
NZ Avocado will only cover the cost of maturity clearance passes for both local and export avocados that meet the following requirements as per the latest Maturity Clearance standards:
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- Average dry matter meets or exceeds 23% DM
- At least 18 out of 20 fruit meet or exceed 20.8% DM
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Other Requirements for passed clearance:
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- Sample size to be:
- A minimum sample size of 20 fruit per maturity clearance area.
- Multiple maturity clearance areas are required for orchards greater than five hectares (details below).
- Fruit must be independently collected through Eurofins
- Ethylene ripening to be applied to all fruit for early season local market.
- Sample size to be:
Testing costs
For tests that do not meet the requirements for NZ market clearance, the cost will be invoiced to the grower. Eurofins avocado maturity clearance collection and testing costs for 2026 are as follows:
Maturity Clearance Areas
- Maturity areas should be representative in terms of tree age and fruit size of the blocks to be harvested.
- Where there is considerable variation in tree age between blocks these should be defined as separate maturity areas.
- The maturity clearance will only apply to fruit in blocks defined under a particular maturity area.
- There is no maximum size for a single maturity clearance area.
Minimum maturity clearance areas per orchard are as follows:
The orchard can be divided into more maturity clearance areas – the above is the minimum requirement for an orchard.