John Bostock targets new production of yellow-fleshed variety in Australia, Chile, and South Africa after securing Southern Hemisphere licence
John Bostock, one of New Zealand’s leading apple growers, says he expects the country’s “archaic, monopolistic” kiwifruit export regulations to be dismantled, once the country’s growers “wake up when they are not making as many dollars”.
Bostock recently secured exclusive rights to develop Southern Hemisphere production of Haeguem, a Korean gold kiwifruit variety which he says is superior to New Zealand’s most common variety, SunGold.
Speaking to a number of publications in the country, Bostock revealed commercial production of the variety will be developed in Australia, Chile, and South Africa. But, for now at least, not in his home country.
Under current rules, NZ kiwifruit suppliers can only export their fruit through Zespri, with the exception of Australia.
But in conversation with Farmers Weekly, Bostock suggested the current restrictions would be lifted in the “fullness of time”.
“Australia is a difficult market, retailers are tough, access and pricing are not good,” he explained. “We want to be in the premium high-end markets of South Korea, Japan and China.”
Global ambition
Haegeum has already been touted as a potential rival to other yellow-fleshed kiwifruit varieties already in the international market, including SunGold.
Production is also being developed in Europe, led by French variety-management and licensing company Sofruileg, which manages a portfolio of kiwifruit cultivars and also owns the Nergi kiwiberry brand.
In partnership with Scaap Kiwifruits de France, a major French kiwifruit producer cooperative, Haegeum was first trialled in France back in 2016.
A decade later, Sofruileg announced an accelerated development plan to establish 1,000ha planted with the Korean variety by 2030, spread more or less equally across France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain.
Export opportunities
Responding to Bostock’s comments, Colin Bond, CEO of New Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated, told Farmers Weekly that companies can export kiwifruit to international markets under collaborative marketing arrangements with Zespri, subject to approval by industry regulator Kiwifruit New Zealand.
The single-desk export mechanism, he told the publication, was established “by growers for growers” and generated “significant value” for the country.
“Opportunities for exporters outside of Zespri which create value for New Zealand growers are available through Collaborative Marketing overseen by industry regulator Kiwifruit New Zealand,” he said.
Those growers are also free to sell their fruit through their own channels on the domestic market.
A spokesperson for Zespri told Fruitnet the company simply wanted to echo Bond’s statement.
A 2023 report commissioned by NZKGI observed that opportunities for New Zealand growers to research and develop their own varieties were limited by the country’s single-desk model.
“Zespri as an SPE maintains control over the supply of its cultivars overseas,” it stated. “Growers and suppliers who develop their own varieties face a barrier to export their varieties, grown in New Zealand, to countries other than Australia.”
