Fresh challenges to New Zealand’s single-desk kiwifruit export structure have emerged for the second time in the space of a week.Wanaka-based fruit exporter Bob Robertson and business partner Simon Dickie are believed to have developed a plan to export a gold kiwifruit variety directly into China, according to the Otago Daily Times.
The move would see the pair’s China New Zealand Kiwifruit Investment Company (CNZK) buy up a number of kiwifruit orchards stricken by the bacterial vine-killing disease Psa, which would then be converted to the gold Y356 cultivar, to be rebranded Liquid Gold. It is understood CNZK has financial backing from Chinese company called Shanghai Shuibei Industrial. Robertson told the Daily Times the Y356 cultivar, which CNZK controls, was more tolerant to Psa than other gold varieties.
A supply contract already appears to be in place, with the Chinese Government-owned distributor Cofco reportedly willing to pay a 10 per cent premium on the prices that could be returned to CNZK by selling their fruit through Zespri, New Zealand’s single desk marketer.
However, the deal is yet to be approved by industry regulator Kiwifruit New Zealand (KNZ), who, under the industry’s current regulations, would need to grant CNZK a collaborative marketing agreement in order for them to market their fruit in collaboration with Zespri.Robertson confirmed talks with KNZ had stalled, telling the Daily Times such an agreement would be too restrictive, with CNZK preferring to deal directly with Cofco.
“We weren't getting anywhere with the conversation, let's put it that way,” Robertson said. “What we wanted to do was to be able to sell the fruit that we produced under our cultivar to China.”
News of CNZK’s bid comes just days after Auckland-based exporter John Thompson’s proposal to establish a duopoly for kiwifruit trade into China was made public. The duopoly would see the creation of Southern Fresh Kiwifruit Exports, which would act as an alternate avenue to Zespri for exports to the People’s Republic.
