Zespri Confident Ahead of Final Kiwifruit Sales Push

Zespri's global sales programme is on track to complete sales within the next 10-12 weeks, with the company about 60% through its season. The kiwifruit industry's biggest business in New Zealand, Zespri has already packed all fruit between March and May, and is now focusing on securing strong returns for growers.

Zespri chief executive Jason Te Brake said that the company is at a critical point, with the marketing season entering its final phase. He emphasized the importance of getting good value back to growers over the next few months.

The kiwifruit industry continues to play a major role in the Bay of Plenty economy and local communities, as well as other growing regions around New Zealand. Zespri returned about $3.6 billion to the New Zealand economy last year, with 85% flowing into the Bay of Plenty through grower returns.

The company is consulting growers on two major strategic issues: the commercialisation of a newly developed green kiwifruit variety and sourcing fruit from China to help protect its position in that market. Te Brake said that Chinese consumers still show strong demand for New Zealand-grown fruit, but unauthorised plantings of Zespri's gold kiwifruit variety, G3, have established more than a decade ago.