Sales of Zespri-branded kiwifruit worldwide are reportedly holding steady in the face of a tough market as the global recession continues to affect fresh produce markets, with consumers focused on saving and cutting back on luxury goods, the marketer has reported.
Globally, volumes sold to week 34 were up 0.3 percent on 2008. As the Northern Hemisphere comes to the end of its summer holiday period, marketing and advertising campaigns are being stepped up to encourage run rates and support a clean end to the New Zealand season, the company confirmed.
According to the group, Japan continues to perform well in the face of the global recession, with a large part of this success attributed to the nutrition message being pushed through television commercial and media advertising.
'Customer deliveries continue to remain at their highest level ever, up over 7 per cent
on 2008,' a spokesperson revealed.
In Taiwan, Zespri said its deliveries remained higher than last year, with Zespri Gold up 16 per cent and Zespri Green up 1 per cent.
Domestic summer fruit supplies had almost finished when Typhoon Morakot struck the island, causing significant damage to the remaining volumes.
As a result, prices for local fruit have apparently increased by over 20 per cent due to the shortages and this has helped kiwifruit sales, with importers clearing all stocks.
'Plentiful stocks of cheap imported cherries and Chilean kiwifruit are available,' a spokesperson noted. 'Chilean kiwifruit exports to Taiwan are up 15 per cent on 2008.'
Korean sales remain significantly below last year's equivalent figure, the company said, due to continued tough economic conditions and significantly higher in-market pricing to take account of the weaker currency.
Chilean kiwifruit exports to the country were up 110 per cent on 2008, although the value of those shipments fell about 20 per cent year-on-year.
In China, Zespri's sales were 69 per cent ahead of last season and Hong Kong arrivals 37 per cent ahead.
According to the company's spokesperson, Chilean kiwifruit exports to China are 28 per cent up on the same period of 2008, with significant weekly volumes continuing to target the market. Domestic kiwifruit suppliers are expected to be available from early September.
In south-east Asia, meanwhile, Zespri said it faced significant competition from a huge volume of low-priced tropical fruit but that the volume of Chilean kiwifruit was lower compared with 2008.
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