Kiwi avocado exports to Asia surge as Australian market slows

Author: The Country,
Publish Date: Sat, 25 Jul 2026, 8:41am

Rabobank has released its Global Avocado Update 2026. Photo / Alan Gibson

New Zealand’s avocado sector is increasing shipments to Asia as exports to its largest international market, Australia, trend lower, according to a new Rabobank report.

In the report Global Avocado Update 2026, Rabobank said New Zealand’s avocado exports in the 2025/26 season – September to March – reached 3.445 million trays, down about 9% year-on-year because of wind damage and constrained market windows.

“Australia remained our largest export market, at 750,000 trays or 22% market share,” RaboResearch senior analyst and report co-author Jen Corkran said.

Corkran said export volumes to Australia had declined and New Zealand’s avocado sector was less reliant on the transtasman market than it was five years ago, when Australia accounted for more than two-thirds of Kiwi avocado exports.

She said the sector continued to diversify its export markets, with strong growth across Asia helping offset weaker Australian demand.

“Exports to South Korea surged by 70% year on year to 625,000 trays in the 25/26 season, while shipments to China, Hong Kong and India nearly doubled, and exports to Taiwan increased by 50%.”

Corkran said optimism was growing among sector participants that the recent New Zealand-India trade agreement will support further export growth into the subcontinent over time.

“Avocado exports into India are already growing strongly and further growth is now expected given the new trade deal will see tariffs on avocados – and other fruit – phased out over the next 10 years,” she said.

Global update

The report said global avocado exports remained on a strong growth path supported by production from major exporters and rising output from emerging players.

Corkran said global exports had risen from 0.73 million metric tonnes in 2010/11 to more than 3.3 million tonnes in 2025/26, with Mexico and Peru the dominant contributors.

Rabobank New Zealand analyst Jen Corkran.

Other countries increasing output included Kenya, Spain, Colombia and South Africa.

The report said global avocado volumes were expected to increase further in the 2026/27 season; however, the developing El Niño was expected to heighten but unevenly distribute weather risks.

On the demand side, the report said some established markets showed signs of maturity while new players continued to drive growth.

Corkran said Mexico and Chile remained the highest consumers of avocados, with annual per capita availability of about 14kg and 9kg respectively.

However, she said there was significant growth potential in larger markets such as the European Union, where per capita availability reached 2.24kg in 2025.

Corkran said Italy, Germany and Turkey also showed rapid relative growth in consumption.