Kiwi Crunch is experiencing a significant PIQA® Red Pear (previously marketed as PiqaBoo®) volume increase with 26% growth expected in 2025 based on the harvest to date.
"Last year we harvested 142.5 tons and this season we expect to harvest 180 tonnes, with further growth year on year going forward," said Nigel Hope, Kiwi Crunch Operations Manager.
"We have put significant work into tree health and pruning in order to increase production and on our biggest orchard we expect to harvest over 55 tons per hectare," he added.
According to Duncan Park, Prevar Quality Manager, "The top PIQA growers are achieving 30 tonnes+ per hectare on sixth leaf crops and achieving very attractive orchard gate return".
In 2024 Kiwi Crunch planted 6,000 PIQA trees in Central Otago – the first commercial planting in the region.
James Bennett, Kiwi Crunch GM Asia Sales says that the demand Kiwi Crunch has for their PIQA pears outweighs their supply.
"Feedback from customers has been extremely positive on the orchard, it has been an exceptional growing season, and the quality is outstanding.
"Customers love the uniqueness of the red skin, it's crisp and juicy with excellent shelf life," James said.
The first PIQA shipment grown by Kiwi Crunch is due to arrive in China on March 16 and will be packed into retail pack formats ready for release to market in late March.
Kiwi Crunch is one of New Zealand's largest vertically integrated pip fruit exporters with orchards in Hawke's Bay and Central Otago, marketing around 2 million cartons of apples and pears annually into more than 30 countries.
For more information:
Anna Catley
Kiwi Crunch
Tel: +64 273134359
[email protected]
www.piqapears.com