Avocado success despite industry challenges

Keeping it local, proudly supporting the Katikati avocado food and wine festival.

With another export season under its belt, the DMS Avocado Division says it has packed a record number of export trays for the 2024/2025 season.

DMS Avocados business manager Hamish McKain said it was a great feeling to finish this export season on the positive side.

“A solid performance of the entire team, dedication of all our harvest contractors, offshore quality holding up respectively well, and Mother Nature holding good weather for most of the season … all of this made the perfect combination for a positive outcome," he said.

“And of course, hitting the record number of 405,000 Class One trays packed this season is a big win.”

McKain said it was important to note that it wasn’t all smooth sailing; the added implications of a leaf roller detection at the Australian border added more than a few extra challenges.

He said with teamwork, the commitment of growers, and big support from everybody involved in the avocado harvest operations, including exporter AVOCO, enabled them to reduce the risks as much as they could before the shipment of the product.

“Also, the DMS’s newly installed water blaster gave us that extra bit of security controlling the pests during the actual production, managing the risk to a minimum and helping to keep the industry and our growers safe.”

Community support

McKain said DMS was an incredibly proud supporter of the local community by becoming a platinum main stage sponsor for the Katikati Avocado Food and Wine Festival held in January 2025.

He said the festival drew crowds from across the Bay of Plenty and beyond.

The combination of live music, delicious food and drinks, summer vibes and stunning weather created such a lively atmosphere.

“It was nice to see a few of our growers and fans of avocado joining us on the day, having a great time and a little catch-up during our busy harvest times.

“Putting that into reality within the community and following one of our six main company core values that we live by - ‘Our people’s wellbeing’ - focusing on the wellbeing of your people and fostering a sense of togetherness, really makes me believe that this can make a difference in how a team or company thrives.

“It’s not just about supporting each other professionally, but also on a personal level, creating a stronger bond and more resilient environment, especially in these challenging times.”

Demanding season

McKain said it had been an incredibly busy and demanding season, and the finish line was still a few weeks away.

The avocado harvest and all packing operations are still running for a few weeks, packing for the local markets, pushing through the remaining bins.

“For sure, this will be the DMS’s biggest avocado season yet,” McKain said.

“A big season like this can bring a lot of pride, but it also brings to the surface a lot of issues that the avocado industry is challenged by.

“I believe it’s all about collaboration and working toward continuous improvement, where everyone pulls together with that shared vision of making a meaningful impact and positive changes.

“Even in the busiest times, keeping that long-term vision in mind can really drive everyone forward.”

- Supplied content