As New Zealand’s kiwifruit harvests draws to a close, single desk marketer Zespri appears well positioned to grow its sales programmes again this year.
Speaking at the Mystery Creek Fieldays early this week, Zespri chief operating officer Simon Limmer admitted the production window had not been without its challenges, with high rainfall causing havoc across key growing regions just before harvest.
However, Limmer said growers had responded well and continued to meet the high standards Zespri’s global consumer base expects from its fruit.
“The industry is finishing up harvesting our second-largest crop ever, as we look to build on last season’s NZ$2.26bn fruit sales revenue,” Limmer noted.
The Mystery Creek Fieldays are promoted as the biggest agricultural and horticultural event of their kind in the Southern Hemisphere, with Zespri hosting growers and industry stakeholders at its hospitality site over the four-day event.
Limmer said the Fieldays presented Zespri with the opportunity to share the kiwifruit success story and engage with the wider New Zealand public.
“The Fieldays gives us a great chance to thank the rural community for their support over the past 20 years and acknowledge the commitment and hard work from so many across the industry,” he explained.
