Common Australian Grown Varieties

There are many avocado varieties available on the market today. Although essentially the same fruit, there are subtle differences between the varieties pertaining to taste, colour and size. Chefs would benefit from learning these differences in order to more confidently handle the fruit.

The major avocado varieties available in Australia today are:

	HASS The type of avocado most likely to be found in Australian kitchens is the Hass variety, which makes up more than 75% of all avocados grown. Hass avocado is more oval than other varieties and has distinctive pebbly skin which turns a rich purple when ripe. On average, this type has a small seed, weighs about 140 – 340 g and contains a good amount of edible flesh. Hass avocados grow almost all year round in different regions of Australia. Your supplier will have different sizes available as fruit is graded by size during packing.
	SHEPARD Shepard avocados have smooth green skin and golden buttery flesh which doesn’t turn brown when cut. The average weight of a Shepard avocado is 200 – 320 g. Produced only in the warmer Bundaberg and Atherton regions, his variety is available early in the autumn, with peak growth from February to April.
	REED Reed avocados have a distinct round shape and a medium skin texture with pale flesh. The skin remains green even when fully ripened. Fruit is big with a large seed and tasty flesh, with average fruit weighing between 480 – 700 g. Reed avocados are grown throughout Australia and peak in November.
	SHARWIL Sharwil avocados tend to be smaller and more pear-shaped than other varieties. This type weighs between 200 - 370 g and has a smallish seed. Due to its particularly rich, nutty flavour, the Sharwil is often marketed as a gourmet avocado. This variety comes into season from late April to August, along the east coast of Australia.
	WURTZ Wurtz avocado is a smaller fruit that has a rougher skin texture than other varieties. The average fruit weighs between 230 – 280 g and grows predominantly along the Queensland coast from June to October. In central Queensland the season starts earlier, at the end of April.