New Zealand apricot growers are planning to form a company to manage the release of new varieties from a breeding programme.
The cooperative will give growers ownership of the new varieties, which are being developed by crown research body Plant & Food Research in cooperation with peak body Summerfruit New Zealand, reported Radio New Zealand.
The breeding programme is focusing on late-variety and low-chill apricot varieties. The country’s stonefruit growers have identified opportunities on export markets for late-season cultivars, and low-chill varieties are ideal for growers in Hawke’s Bay on the North Island.
Some varieties from the programme are already being trialled in orchards, said Plant & Food Research.
Growers will pay a NZ$2 fee per new tree planted, as well as an annual levy of NZ$500 per hectare to fund the research programme, according to Summerfruit New Zealand chairman Gary Bennetts.
