Pipfruit New Zealand chief executive, Alan Pollard, believes the country’s apple industry is capable of increasing export volumes by 50 per cent over the next decade, according to The New Zealand Herald.
Speaking at Pipfruit New Zealand’s annual conference recently, Pollard said the peak industry body had set the goal of shipping 475,000 tonnes to international markets by 2022, a significant increase on the 310,000 tonnes it hopes to export this season.
Asia looms as the centrepiece to the ramped-up export effort, with Pollard forecasting exports to the region to rise from 61,000 tonnes in 2010 to more than 200,000 per annum over the next 10 years, the Herald report suggested. It would see the New Zealand industry increase its market share in Asia to 10 per cent, up on the 3.8 per cent stake it currently holds.
Pollard said it was crucial New Zealand exporters continued to grow their operations in both Asia and the Middle East, while maintaining traditional volumes to other markets around the globe.
He also pointed out the need to increase the area under apple production from 8700ha to 12,700ha, which would see tree production climb to 2.5m per year.
