The New Zealand government and Zespri have announced a massive NZ$37.5 million (£16.7m) investment into a joint seven-year Zespri-Plant & Food Research programme to develop new kiwifruit varieties.

The Foundation for Research, Science & Technology (FRST) will contribute NZ$15.2m to the programme, with Zespri contributing NZ$20.5m.

National research and development body Plant & Food Research is linking up with Zespri and the foundation to form the world’s largest and most significant R&D programme into new kiwifruit varieties.

Lain Jager, ceo of Zespri said: “By investing in the most rigorous and exacting kiwifruit R&D programme, we can ensure that new generations of New Zealand kiwifruit are the best in the world and that their commercial success delivers value and export earnings to New Zealand and New Zealand growers."

This aspiration for growth is part of a larger target in the wider NZ horticulture sector to double the worth of the industry to NZ$10 billion by 2020.

Murray Bain, ceo of FRST said: “We have world-leading breeding expertise at Plant & Food Research being matched with Zespri’s track record of success with Zespri Gold kiwifruit. This long-term funding provides a strong platform to produce new cultivars that will be significant export earners for New Zealand.”

Such a huge cash injection in what has already proved to be a successful partnership between industry and research body will mean a hike in the number of new varieties that can be developed, as well as enhancements to plant breeding and selection and evaluation techniques to bring any new fruit to the marketplace even more quickly.

A joint statement from both Zespri and the NZ government said the research programme will target development of new varieties differentiated by “appearance, sensory or health attributes”.

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