Rises in grower return forecasts for the 2010/11 season gave a positive air to New Zealand kiwifruit marketer Zespri’s AGM in Tauranga today, which attracted around 500 industry stakeholders.
Speaking to Fruitnet.com straight after the event, Zespri CEO Lain Jager and board chairman John Loughlin said the standout theme of the meeting had been strong support from growers; the marketer received a vote of 97.18 per cent in favour of continuing its 12 month supply strategy and investment in new varieties.
“There was very strong support by growers,” said Mr Jager. “There was a real sense of that underlying support, and a high level of positivity about the grower returns forecast.”
The latest grower returns for this year’s kiwifruit season – released today – saw per tray average orchard gate returns for Zespri Green rise to NZ$4.16, from last year’s NZ$3.70, while Green Organic hit NZ$5.92 per tray compared to last year’s NZ$5.67. The Zespri Gold forecast was NZ$8.53, up from last season’s NZ$7.73.
“The Green return up over NZ$4 was needed; growers were looking to see that on top of the slightly shorter volume this year,” said Mr Jager, explaining the rise met growers’ expectations.
Bruce Cameron was also voted onto the Zespri board to replace retiring member Mark Bailey, said Mr Loughlin.
Alignment of shareholding was also a topic of discussion, according to Mr Loughlin. “We’re conscious that the industry remains owned by producing growers,” he said. “We’re taking steps over the next little while to improve that alignment.”
While the overall message from the AGM was positive, some contentious questions were also raised by the Independent Kiwifruit Growers Association, a splinter group headed by grower Marcus Wilkins that echoes many of the complaints put forward by rival horticulture company Turners & Growers.
Zespri’s AGM will be followed over the next two days by an industry conference, expected to attract around 300 growers.
“The conference is really an opportunity for us to talk informally and in depth with growers,” stated Mr Jager. “We’re starting with external commentators on the first day, who will be talking about New Zealand’s competitiveness, health marketing, global foreign exchange issues, etc. Then we’ll be focusing on industry-related issues in workshops.”
Meanwhile, new plantings and transplantings of Zespri’s three new kiwifruit varieties are continuing.
“Transplants are going well so far,” said Mr Jager. Many of the new variety licences will be filled by top-dressing former Hayward orchards. “The industry is alive to the sound of chainsaws.”
The number of new licences for the varieties to be issued next year will also be discussed at the conference.
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