Avocado volumes are down 40 per cent which has increased competition between exporters and the domestic market.
NZ Avocado chief executive Jen Scoular said volumes for the season were about 40 per cent below last year and the average fruit size was also smaller.
Exporters needed to weigh up the likely supply and demand across a year and anticipate where there was opportunity for value-return back to growers, she said.
"The New Zealand avocado export window is August through to March. In Australia, New Zealand avocados compete in that period with an increasing volume of avocados from Western Australia.
"But the hot weather means supply from West Australia over January and February will be lower and exporters see a real opportunity to supply in the late December to February window, when summer demand for avocados is at its highest."
In any normal season the return for exported avocados exceeded the return for avocados on the New Zealand market, she said.
"The export markets are looking very strong this season. Saying that, the New Zealand market is also strong and returns will reflect that."
Pole to Pole Fresh Ltd director Todd Abrahams said the supply was very short. But the domestic market was strong and paying well.
However, growers were being asked to hold their crops off for export in December and January, he said.
"Now I guess the dilemma for them is whether they do that or go for the domestic market."
Demand was outstripping supply in the New Zealand domestic market, he said.
"We are looking for more supply and we are getting a good level of inquiry from those export growers making the decision to go for the domestic market as opposed to export."
Commercial growers were being encouraged to look at the domestic market, he said.
Team Avocado, Southern Produce director Alistair Young, said while volumes were down for many growers "the values being achieved at this time of the year in the New Zealand market are some of the best I've ever seen, however, the export values are considerably higher".
Many growers were motivated to pick as much crop off their trees as early in the season as they could for orchard cultural reasons however "we must keep premium export customers satisfied as the next big crop year (potentially next season based on the huge flowering we have now) will see New Zealand reliant on their vital custom".
Picking more than once and choosing larger fruit to pick greatly improved the orchardists return per hectare, he said.
"Smaller fruit can be worth up to 10 dollars per tray less than the larger fruit. Leaving your smaller fruit to size as a second pick greatly improves orchard revenue, by 30 per cent or better at times."
Growers should also do the sums on small fruit returns if they pick now versus larger fruit paybacks if they pick after Christmas, he said.
Avocado grower Trevor Seal said growers should be looking for long-term sustainable returns for avocados.
Building strong relationships with export customers was essential, he said.
"Committing to and delivering on the contracted volumes is very much part of that. I am happy with what I hear about returns from both the export and New Zealand markets, all avocados will return good value this season and in my view it would be short-sighted to chase value in the New Zealand market to the potential detriment of our export programmes."