Technology connecting Growers’ to information – October 2021

By Jen Scoular

Working from home is good, less travel time, more flexibility, but it’s also nice to get back in the office at least a couple of days a week.

There is a weariness after 18 months of being in an essential industry – we are lucky certainly to be able to continue to operate, but with everything just that little bit harder, it starts to take its toll. Lucky we know from research that avocados are a good source of vitamin B6 which is great for energy levels. With a good volume of fruit arriving on retail shelves, consumers here are getting great value from avocados, so maybe the easy solution is eating more avocados. Said only a little in jest, because it is so very important to look after our health in these uncertain and challenging times.

I’ve been cutting down on carbs lately – I know it’s good for me, and avocados under my scrambled eggs for lunch or under my chicken curry for dinner are a treat. We talk about the versatility of avocados, and I’m still exploring new ways to add their deliciousness to my day.

We are finding new ways to utilising technology at NZ Avocado with morning tea Zoom calls for growers and grower webinars. With the click of a button growers can zoom into hear from experts on a range of topics. Our first morning tea event featured Australian Avocados CEO John Tyas, updating New Zealand grower’s on what is happening in our largest export market, Australia. Last week the morning tea included the views of two of New Zealand’s largest avocado exporters, talking about the rapid growth in New Zealand avocado exports to Asia this season and how they are implementing the newly developed differentiated story for avocados from New Zealand through their marketing campaigns in Asian markets.A recent grower webinar covered the important aspects of avocado pollination, and the next webinar will cover avocado pruning. Talking of pollination, you will start seeing the fantastic yellow of avocado trees in flower in the next few weeks, and bee hives being brought on to orchards. It’s an exciting time, as next year’s crop starts to develop on our trees. Quite unusual for a horticultural crop given only one third of this year’s crop has been harvested, so there will be two crops on one tree at the same time, but I did say avocados are amazing!