Favourable market conditions and strong end-of-season sales have seen forecast returns for New Zealand-grown green kiwifruit surge to record levels.
Single-desk marketer Zespri has announced that the average per-hectare return for green growers is expected to top NZ$52,980 (US$ 41,262) this season, while organic green growers can also expect record returns of around NZ$42,207 (US$32,871) per-hectare.
“A shortage of supply of green kiwifruit from Chile and constrained supply of gold kiwifruit from New Zealand have supported pricing, while Zespri’s foreign exchange hedging policy has mitigated against the strong value of the New Zealand dollar,” explained Zespri chief executive Lain Jager.
Projected orchard gate returns (OGR’s) have also increased according to Zespri’s December forecast, with the per tray price for green rising NZ$0.20 (US$0.16) to NZ$5.91 (US$4.60) since October. This marks the highest per-tray return for the variety since 2003, with Jager attributing the rise to fewer quality claims in East Asia and Europe.
Organic green OGR’s have risen NZ$0.28 (US$0.22) to NZ$7.09 (US$5.52) per tray, while forecasted gold OGR’s have climbed NZ$0.15 (US$0.11) to NZ$9.72 (US$7.57) per tray, supported by higher average pricing in East Asia.
Jager said the projected increases proved the New Zealand industry had adjusted to the challenges presented by the Psa vine-killing disease, a sentiment he echoed in an exclusive interview with Asiafruit late last month.
“This result is a credit to the hard work and determination of our industry,” Jager said. “Our industry still faces challenges, as we continue the recovery from Psa, but we have much to be positive about. Looking to next season, we will keep our focus on communicating health to consumers, developing markets and delivering great-tasting fruit through the most efficient supply chain possible.”
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