New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated (NZKGI) chief Colin Bond notes that New Zealand's largest kiwifruit harvest is concluding, with more than 215 million trays collected. "Both the growing season and harvest went relatively smoothly, with good growing conditions supporting crop production." Bond indicates growers are now awaiting market prices.
While it's premature to make forecasts for the 2025/26 supply, projections signal a 17% increase in total supply from 2024 to 2029. Potential tariffs on U.S. exports, including kiwifruit, remain a concern for NZKGI. "While confidence in demand for our kiwifruit remains strong, we recognize that the current environment we are operating in is highly volatile."
According to Zespri CEO Jason Te Brake, the kiwifruit marketer is preparing for tariffs by collaborating with New Zealand's government and partners in the U.S. "to ensure we navigate it effectively and minimize the impact on our growers." The focus remains on building brand value and developing new market opportunities. He emphasizes that North America's demand is strong, and Zespri is committed to expanding in this growth market.
Te Brake mentions that Zespri's 2025/26 sales programs have started well, mainly in Europe and North America. In a June forecast, Zespri projected strong value delivery to growers in another record crop year. Average per-hectare returns for different kiwifruit variants are expected to surpass last year's records. "Each season, we supply customers and consumers in more than 50 markets around the world with great-tasting, high-quality fruit."
The New Zealand harvest runs from mid-February to June, with shipments between March and November. To complement the New Zealand season, Zespri collaborates with growers across the Northern Hemisphere, maintaining a counter-seasonal supply to drive value for New Zealand growers.
For the 2025/26 season, over 200 million trays are projected, with more than half already shipped. 13.2 million trays are targeted for the U.S., Zespri's sixth-largest market by volume. Positive feedback followed the U.S. launch of RubyRed this year. A grower vote expanded Zespri Global Supply, approving additional hectares of SunGold kiwifruit in several countries, reflecting industry collaboration toward delivering value.
Source: SunLive
