A report published by the US department of agriculture, and confirmed by NZ exporter Zespri, predicts a two per cent increase on last season's kiwifruit harvest at 67.4million trays. Picking should be completed by the end of May.

The slight rise is due to expected greater volumes of Zespri Gold coming on stream. Gold is forecast to make up 6.5million trays – some 30 per cent up on last year – and volumes of green and organic fruit are likely to be more in line with 2001.

However Gold experienced problems on some markets last year with prices some 11 per cent below 2000 levels and sales 20 per cent down in Europe, although the UK market performed well. Nevertheless, the variety still commanded a price premium of some 17 per cent compared to green fruit.

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