Avocado mountain no hassle

An estimated 5.7 million trays of avocado are ready to be picked and New Zealand's largest post-harvest operator, Apata, is well equipped to handle it.
Apata chief executive Steve Low says the business is geared up to handle the logistics without compromising fruit quality.
"Apata offers the best harvesting operating systems and technology in the country to manage avocados," he said. "This is coupled with a deep understanding of our growers, a robust marketing programme, and our accuracy in determining when fruit is mature and ready for picking is spot on.
"We believe every piece of fruit has value and we have invested in the resources to ensure we cover that."
Apata's Turntable Rd packhouse uses the latest equipment for avocado operations including the multi-million-dollar presorter technology, the Invision Optical Grader.
"The optical grader takes up to 25 digital photographs of each avocado to assess its quality and then the fruit is weighed by the presizer machine.
"This works in tandem with our grading and quality team and, based on the combined assessment, the fruit is separated into the appropriate class on line in one operation.
"We are then able to target a customer or market a specific grade standard and can genuinely provide a higher export fruit recovery."
Apata services all avocado regions in New Zealand and this season will have about 50 hydraladas for picking and a fleet of trucks and tractors available.
"Our sites located in Turntable Rd and Whangarei are well resourced. It is rare for 50 hydraladas to be managed by one post-harvest operator," says Mr Low. "And our ability to work closely with our growers over harvest creates a very strong partnership."
Apata is also committed to the ongoing support of the avocado industry structure.
"We have a leadership role in industry compliance and are New Zealand GAP accredited."
Apata's partnership with Primor Produce also provided strong connections to Australia.