Photo: Vollcorner Organic Store
The extra-large kiwis are double fruits, which consist of an amalgamated fruit body of two individual kiwis. This particular growth form is a whim of nature and occurs regularly to the displeasure of the producers. Because these edible, ripe fruits are hardly marketable they usually end on the compost. According to the Bavarian Ministry of Agriculture, the double fruits do not correspond to the specific marketing standard for kiwis and therefore cannot be sold. Additionally, due to the awkward shape of the fruit, the option of turning them into jam or similar does not work as they would not fit into the necessary machinery.
The system of marketing standards has been criticised for many years. Since it mainly deals with external characteristics such as texture, shape and size, quality criteria such as taste, ripeness or variety are not taken into account.