Murray Linnell and Glen ArrowSmith
“A large share of the U.S. market has traditionally been taken by the green kiwifruit, but we believe the SunGold is much better suited to the U.S., Canadian and European palate. Research shows that SunGold is very well received by European consumers. A SunGold shipment to the U.S. last year also achieved great results,” says Glenn Arrowsmith, of Zespri.
Zespri’s SunGold kiwifruit trade volumes in North America are expected to double this year, with 16 million trays marketed of all Gold varieties, compared to last season’s 9 million. One of the advantages of this kiwifruit is that it is much more resistant to PSA. “Unlike other varieties, whose plants die around three months after being infected, SunGold allows you to cut the bits off the plant affected and still grow a good crop,“ explains Glenn.
In terms of productivity, SunGold can be grafted into an existing rootstock and start bearing fruit in about two years, reaching 80% of its full production in three years. If planted from scratch, it takes 4 to 5 years for it to reach full production. Zespri currently has 4,000 hectares of SunGold in New Zealand; a big commitment from the industry, and production volumes this year are expected to surpass those of any other Gold variety. The company aims to find the right balance between yield and flavour. Zespri® expects SunGold has a much wider consumer appeal thanks to its superior sweet-sour balance. Another key feature is its longer shelf life, which is very interesting for retailers.
Regarding red kiwi varieties, Zespri® still runs the biggest natural breeding programme in the world and market evaluations are currently being conducted for a promising new variety. The challenge for any fruit aiming to bear the Zespri label is offering consistent quality.
As for the organics market, Glenn says that it continues to grow by around 10% per year in the U.S., which is already the world’s largest organics consumer, and it looks to be greatly expanding in Canada, as well.
Worldwide demand keeps growing but supply has been constrained due to the effects of PSA. Many Green growers have also decided to start grafting Gold varieties in recent years. In terms of Zespri supply, the lowest point was reached last year, but this season production volumes will increase and will continue to do so in the coming years, with a significant growth expected for the SunGold, which could reach 50 million boxes by 2018. Supply of Green and Gold varieties of kiwifruit will gradually divide almost 50/50 and this promises to be especially interesting for the Asian market.
The future looks bright for Zespri, despite the effects of PSA, growers still obtain good commercial crops that are again increasing in value and investments are being made in new facilities. Production volumes in Italy are expected to grow as quick as New Zealand’s and this will ensure a consistent, year-round supply of quality SunGold kiwis.
For more information:Glen Arrowmith
Zespri
Email: Glen.arrowsmith@zespri.com
www.zespri.com