International kiwifruit marketer Zespri says there is 'nothing new' in a reported announcement by New Zealand export group Turners & Growers (T&G) that it plans to try to sell a new kiwifruit variety.
In a statement, Zespri said T&G, which has argued it should be allowed to export kiwifruit from New Zealand outside the confines of the country's single point of entry export marketing system, is trying to sell a new variety at its own commercial risk and at the risk of any participating growers.
Zespri’s director of corporate and grower services Carol Ward said the announcement by T&G and its majority owner Guinness Peat Group contained no new information and appeared to be nothing more than the latest step in T&G Chairman Tony Gibbs’ political campaign to break up the New Zealand kiwifruit industry.
She added that it had clearly been timed ahead of major commercial developments - including a decision on whether or not to commercially release up to four new kiwifruit varieties – to be announced by Zespri later this week.
'It is well known throughout the industry that this week the Zespri board will be making commercialisation decisions about whether new varieties of kiwifruit should start to be grown this winter for commercial production, and about our growth plans through this decade and beyond,' Ms Ward said.
The decision on new varieties is regarded as an important step in a scientific process which so far has seen more than 50,000 potential new varieties assessed and given due consideration.
'This programme provides a strong pipeline of potential new varieties for the future,' Ms Ward underlined. 'These were developed by Zespri in partnership with the New Zealand Government through Plant & Food Research.'
Over the last 10 years, Zespri has overseen extensive orchard, storage, distribution and taste tests which will inform its decision in the coming days.
'There has also been consultation with major customers and retail outlets, particularly in Japan, along with careful consideration of how best to build our ZESPRI Brand portfolio,' said Ms Ward.
'It is vital the industry chooses carefully,' she continued. 'The last thing the New Zealand kiwifruit industry needs is a proliferation of substandard cultivars which would simply confuse consumers and drive down prices and export returns.'
'Any grower considering grafting to new varieties must be fully informed as to the commercial viability of the variety and the likely returns,' she said.
Companies who have new varieties of kiwifruit they want to consider planting for export beyond Australia have the option of approaching industry-regulator Kiwifruit New Zealand (KNZ), grower representative organisation New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated (NZKGI) and Zespri.
New Zealand Kiwifruit Export Regulations provide for anyone to be able to export kiwifruit from New Zealand, under collaborative marketing procedures, as long as they can show their proposal is in the best interests of New Zealand kiwifruit growers.
'Collaborative marketing programmes allow companies to export kiwifruit from New Zealand – all in a way which benefits them and the wider industry – and we expect this aspect of the industry to continue to grow in the years ahead,' Ms Ward revealed.
More than 16 companies are already exporting from New Zealand under collaborative marketing programmes. 'If it has serious commercial propositions, we would welcome such a programme by T&G.'
Ms Ward also said the latest T&G campaign to break up the industry was failing.
'According to Colmar Brunton, more than 90 per cent of growers support Zespri and the industry's marketing arrangements, and there has been equally strong support for the growers' view from across parliament, including Agriculture Minister David Carter, Trade Minister Tim Groser and Opposition Leader Phil Goff,' she said.
In an interview with Eurofruit Magazine this month, NZKGI president Peter Ombler said support for Zespri had remained strong largely due to its commitment to a kiwifruit research and development programme worth some NZ$80m a year.
'We would not have had the same coordinated R&D spend without the current structure,' he said. 'I've got nothing against anyone coming along with new cultivars, providing they've been robustly tested.
'But to purchase a cultivar from a third party and not put it through any of those tests, and then ask me to take the risk? I'm not prepared to do that, and most growers feel the same.'
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