Zespri has has kicked off the New Zealand kiwifruit season early this year as its first vessel set sail for Japan last week, after harvesting began three weeks ago.

The NZ industry has harvested and packed more than double the volume of Zespri green and Gold fruit compared with this time last season, and 15 per cent more trays are scheduled to be shipped by early May.

Lain Jager, general manager of the supply chain, said: “We are expecting another large crop this year to be exported within the same 30-week window.” A further 14 vessels are scheduled for departure this month.

Dry weather has helped bring the harvest forward and will remain critical to ensure trouble-free picking and loading over the next two months.

But labour shortages have been declared in NZ’s principal kiwifruit growing area, Bay of Plenty.