New Zealand kiwifruit are selling for better than expected prices in the international market this year, helped along by a larger, higher quality crop of Zespri Gold than originally predicted.

High dry matter content and the resulting good tasting fruit from this year’s New Zealand kiwifruit crop has encouraged sales, warding off the impact of depressed economies in key markets such as Europe.

“The global financial crisis is putting pressure on households in Europe but we are in the food sector, which is not a bad place to be at a time like this,” Zespri CEO Lain Jager told Sunlive.

“Kiwifruit is part of many people’s regular food purchase and 30 per cent of our customers account for 80 per cent `by volume` of our fruit sales. Many buy it for health reasons.”

The kiwifruit marketer’s fruit has also been moving well in Asian markets so far this season.

Jager predicted Gold growers may end up with orchard gate returns of NZ$9 per tray or more by the end of the season, although an official forecast on returns won’t be released until August, reported Sunlive.

The New Zealand industry picked 22m trays of Zespri Gold this season, higher than forecast in early-season estimates that struggled to quantify the impact of the Psa vine disease.

Sales of Zespri Green kiwifruit have also been doing relatively well, with predictions of orchard gate returns at NZ$3.80-NZ$4 per tray.