New Zealand kiwifruit marketer Zespri is reporting that exports are ahead of schedule as the season passes the halfway mark.
Ceo Lain Jager said quality is high but the season is one of the most challenging the industry has known.
He said: “Zespri kiwifruit are delicious this season and the quality of the fruit is well above last year. On the back of a strong and early start to the season, we have achieved solid sales volumes in all markets to date. Although we have passed the significant halfway mark in a strong position… the economic environment will continue to affect consumer spending and we will need to work harder and smarter to ensure that Zespri fruit continues to maintain strong sales as competing summer fruit volumes increase.”
More than 65 per cent of the crop has already been exported and shipping volumes are running three per cent ahead of shipping volumes for the same time last year.
The Gold fruit season has finished, but sendings of green kiwifruit will continue into November. So far, some 23 vessels have been chartered for shipments to the UK and Europe.
Meanwhile, Zespri has appointed legal counsel in the face of a legal challenge mounted by fellow New Zealand fresh produce exporter Turners & Growers (T&G) Ltd. A spokeswoman for Zespri told freshinfo: “Zespri International Ltd can confirm it has received a statement of claim from T&G, which is majority owned by corporate investor Guinness Peat Group (GPG) plc. The claim covered a very large number of disparate issues affecting all aspects of the operation of the kiwifruit industry in New Zealand. The claim is part of the T&G/GPG campaign to destabilise the successful and innovative kiwifruit industry, announced earlier this year by GPG executive director Tony Gibbs.”
T&G is a one-per-cent player in the NZ kiwifruit industry and is trying to secure government support for deregulation of the industry. But Zespri maintains that this is against the best interests of growers.
The spokeswoman continued: “New Zealand kiwifruit growers overwhelmingly support the current integrated industry structure. This was demonstrated at the recent Zespri AGM, where more than 500 growers sent a strong and clear message of support. We have appointed legal counsel and will rigorously defend our position and the interests of New Zealand kiwifruit growers.”
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