“Positive market conditions are helping generate solid demand for early fruit this season,” said Tony Nowell, Zespri ceo. “By encouraging growers to produce early fruit, we’re able to extend our supply window and increase our presence in the market.”
Around 410,000 trays of green and gold fruit were packed up to March 26, of a total crop that is forecast to pack out above the 79 million trays supplied during the 2006 season. However, Nowell warned that the size profile - particularly on Zespri’s standard offer of green Hayward kiwifruit - is smaller than preferred by most markets.
“On top of the impacts of the high New Zealand dollar, Zespri also faces the challenge of selling large volumes of smaller fruit, which is mostly due to factors outside of a grower’s control - in this case, cool spring weather and variable flowering.”
Zespri has started its season earlier this year than last, with almost eight million trays of Zespri green and gold fruit packed by this week compared to seven million this time last year.
The vessel, Asian Lavender, departed last week and 10 more ships were due to set off over the next fortnight, including MV Star Best on its maiden voyage to Zeebrugge on April 14. “This is the first year we’ve been able to despatch two ships to Europe this early in the season,” said Zespri shipping manager Mike Knowles. “And we’re delighted that one of these will be the brand new MN Star Best.” The vessel is the third of four new specialised refrigerated ships that Star Reefers is building. MV Star First was used by Zespri last season to cut transit time.
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