Over the last decade, the Zespri Gold variety has been a global success story for the New Zealand marketer – almost.
Bucking the trend, the introduction of the variety – also known by its development name Hort16A – under licensed production to California has been a failure, and the growers involved are taking Zespri to court for it.
Zespri doesn’t deny Californian production of Gold has been a failure, plagued by low yields and sub-par vine growth in the hot US state, but apportions the responsibility – like the financial losses – with all parties.
“Californian growers are seeking to hold Zespri responsible for the fact that Zespri Gold did not perform as expected due to the hot, arid conditions of the Californian environment,” Zespri CEO Lain Jager told Fruitnet.
“The decision to plant Hort16A was entirely a commercial decision premised on the basis that a counter-seasonal supply of Zespri Gold would result in benefits to the growers, Zespri and HortResearch.”
“The commercial venture entered into by experienced kiwifruit growers has not been profitable for any party; the growers, Zespri or HortResearch.”
Industry sources have said the growers are seeking substantive damages. A trial date has been set for mid-June.
Zespri Gold production outside New Zealand has in most cases gone well - in 2008, the company made NZ$90m from 4.5m trays of Gold in France, Italy, Korea, Japan, Australia, Chile and California.
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