New variety Summer kiwifruit is helping fill the gap between the end of the Chilean season and the start of Hayward supplies from Italy.

The variety is handled in Italy by a consortium of three growers, known as the Summer Kiwifruit Consortium.

“This is the second year that we have been bringing in Summer kiwifruit,” said Richard Hochfeld’s Mark Kidd. “It is very similar to Hayward, but it has been developed to avoid the hard core in the middle of the fruit. The first arrivals this year were on October 14, and now we are just starting with Hayward.”

The prospects for the maincrop green variety in Italy are for a 25 per cent smaller total crop volume compared to last season, and a smaller size profile. Last season there was five to six per cent in the 125-140g and 140g brackets, compared to just 2-2.5 per cent in that bracket this season. The dry conditions in the growing season are mostly to blame for this, although high dry matter and brix levels mean that fruit sugar levels and taste are both good.

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