European imports of New Zealand kiwifruit have decreased by 23 per cent, from 65,000 tonnes in 2009 to 50,000 in 2012, according to a report by the Fresh Fruit Portal.
This marks a broader trend of declining kiwifruit consumption among the continent’s populace, which has decreased as a market destination for exports from other major kiwifruit-producing countries such as Italy and Chile as well as New Zealand.
Europe’s shift away from kiwifruit consumption defies global trends, as kiwifruit exports rose to 1.27m tonnes in 2012, registering a 2 per cent rise from the previous year.
New Zealand’s kiwifruit export season is currently underway, having commenced at the beginning of April. The industry is anticipating a reduction in export volumes of around 12m trays as a result of the vine killing disease Psa.
