New Zealand kiwifruit grower Jolarna Family Trust has delivered a strong season so far, with Liarna White describing conditions in some regions as among the best in years, even as the industry continues to navigate familiar challenges.
"It's different for different growing regions of New Zealand, but it's probably one of the best we have had," White says.
© Jolarna Family Trust
That performance has been led by an early and highly successful harvest in Gisborne. "We finished our Gisborne season quite early, essentially in the first two weeks of Kiwistart (which is a program that starts the season off), and that was really great for us," she says. "It was probably one of the best growing seasons in Gisborne we've seen there in the last 20 years."
White points to both recovery and preparation as key drivers of that result. "What we found really promising is our recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle," she says. "We've had a couple of blocks that suffered and are only just coming back into full productivity, so that was really encouraging this year, and we've also set up well for next year with the wood we're growing in the canopy now."
That longer-term approach underpins the orchard's philosophy. "We're growing canes, and if we grow the right canes, we'll end up with good fruit," White says. "It's about setting the vines up, making sure they've got what they need when they need it, and doing things timely."
Favourable conditions during pollination also played a role. "An example of that is pollination this season in Gisborne— we were in and out in the same week, with our bees in on a Thursday and out on a Thursday, so it was very succinct," she says.
In contrast, the Bay of Plenty harvest is still to come. "We're in the Eastern Bay in Ōpōtiki, and we haven't picked any of that yet, other than our red," White says. "That's not unusual for us because it's a good storage block, so we often go later in the season."
© Jolarna Family Trust
However, conditions there are becoming more uncertain. "The weather we've got at the moment isn't good for any fruit — we're going to have quite a lot of wet weather, and there's a tropical system due," she says. "It's not great for picking, and in terms of fruit physiology, it could impact quality, but so far this year, quality has been good."
Jolarna grows across the full kiwifruit category, including red, green, and gold varieties. "We like to grow the fruit bowl," White says. "Ruby red has been very much appreciated in Asian markets — it tastes quite different, with very berry notes, and it's sweeter."
All export sales are handled centrally. "Our fruit goes through Zespri," she says. "We grow it, send it to pack houses, and then it's marketed through Zespri. If we want to sell kiwifruit anywhere outside New Zealand or Australia, it has to go through them."
© Jolarna Family Trust
While the season has been positive overall, White emphasises that challenges remain a constant in kiwifruit growing. "There are always different things to navigate every season — you never expect it to be the same," she says. "We've had flooding with Gabrielle, frost, hail — but when you're working with nature, you have to adapt and focus on what you can control."
That adaptability is becoming a defining strength. "The industry is getting good at handling those situations," White says. "We've dealt with a lot in the past, and we learn from challenges and adapt — we're always learning how to do things better."
