New Zealand apple and pear growers have enjoyed one of their strongest years on record, with export returns topping NZ$500m (US$411m) in 2013, according to Fairfax Media reports.
Pipfruit New Zealand chief executive Alan Pollard said the returns marked significant improvements for growers in the Hawkes Bay and Nelson regions.
“Hawke's Bay received NZ$350m (US$288m) in export receipts, up NZ$100m (US$82m) on 2012 and Nelson has received NZ$150m (US$123m) NZ$50m (US$41m) more than 2012,” Pollard told the Nelson Mail.
Pollard said international sales were bolstered by a strong national crop, which topped 16.9m cartons.
New Zealand growers and exporters also capitalised on increased consumer demand in Europe. Motueka Fruit Growers chairman Simon Easton told Fairfax that European markets were in a state of undersupply when New Zealand fruit arrived last season, following frosts along the east coast of the US, which reduced the North American nation’s export crop by up to 30m containers.
With production volumes out of rival Southern Hemisphere supplier Chile also impacted by poor growing conditions, New Zealand grown apple varieties such as royal gala and braeburn returned up to NZ$25 (US$20) a carton. Higher-paying varieties such as jazz and envy were sold between NZ$25 (US$20) and NZ$30 (US$24) a carton, according to Easton.
While its good fortunes might not be as pronounced in 2014, Pollard said New Zealand’s reputation as a high-end producer of pipfruit ensured the industry would remain successful.
“I think more and more, New Zealand pipfruit is a seen as a niche product, rather than a commodity.” Pollard said. “It makes sense of us to aspire to being a billion-dollar industry by 2022.”
