Global kiwifruit marketer Zespri has told growers to only harvest larger fruit, leaving smaller fruit on the vines, the Bay of Plenty Times reported.
So far this season there is an overabundance of smaller-sized kiwifruit, and Zespri decided to change its ‘KiwiStart' payment structure to favour larger fruit at an emergency meeting of the Industry Advisory Council.
Under the new payment structure, growers harvesting small fruit will receive a lower return than previously thought, according to New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc. president Peter Ombler.
The smallest kiwifruit count size of 42 will earn no KiwiStart premium, while higher returns will be paid for larger tray sizes.
Zespri director of corporate and grower services Carol Ward said the average size the company is aiming for is count 33, but so far this season the average has been 35.17.
Japan, as Zespri's most important market, will have their pick of the best sizes according to Ms Ward.
"Japan tends to choose the pick of the crop, the larger-sized fruit, while Europe, which accounts for 50 per cent of our volume, has accepted a proportion of smaller-sized fruit but does not want that to continue," she said.
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