Strong crop on the card for red kiwifruit variety grown in New Zealand
Leading kiwifruit producer Seeka has started its 2025 New Zealand kiwifruit harvest, picking the first with the RubyRed kiwifruit on 23 February.
The first fruit was picked from an orchard owned by Briant Brothers, in Gisborne. Seeka client relationship manager, Rochelle Brown the father and son team of Frank and Hamish Briant, operated the orchard.
“The fruit is looking outstanding this season and the team is excited to begin harvest. This is their (the Briant’s) first venture into RubyRed kiwifruit, so they were excited to be first off the block,” said Brown.
In the Bay of Plenty, Mangatawa Pāpāmoa Blocks Incorporated also began picking. Seeka has worked with the incorporation for many years, providing post-harvest and orchard management services.
Levi Ryland, regional orchard manager for Seeka’s eastern region, including the Mangatawa Orchard, said 2025 looked like one of the best seasons yet.
“This year’s crop has had optimal growing conditions, and the fruit is looking fantastic,” said Ryland.
Seeka client relationship manager, Sheena Papuni added: “Our team at Seeka and Mangatawa management have worked hard to optimise the crop and it’s great to see the results come to fruition again this year”.
Kerikeri-based orchard, Wiroa Horticulture, part of the Craigmore portfolio Seeka manages in Northland is set to commence picking in the last week of February as well.
Pieter Traas, Seeka orchard manager, said: “Myself and most of my senior staff have been at Wiroa since the start of the development project in mid-2019. It’s been exciting to see the orchard grow and we’ve all grown in knowledge and experience with it.”
Seeka’s chief executive, Michael Franks said the company was ready to deliver another year of great service to growers.
“We expected orchards to clear earlier this season, following advice from our team of kiwifruit technical specialists. RubyRed across all regions is tracking ahead of last season in both fruit weight, size and quality signalling another promising year,” Franks said.
“We are ready. We have capacity plans in place, our sites are serviced and ready to receive fruit with many having automation upgrades and we have the labour. Seeka is all set to deliver another year of great service to growers”
