"The team has produced a quality, clean crop with a good range of sizes," according to Cameron Carter, Sales Manager at Seeka AU. "We have experienced a good growing season, with lots of sunshine hours, producing exceptional quality from our orchards. Last year we experienced a series of weather events, including hail and extreme heat, resulting in a mix of blemished fruit and sunburn. So while we are only in our first month of picking and packing, this season’s crop is looking to be our best yet.”
Seeka Australia has seven orchards across 500 hectares in Bunbartha, Victoria, with its main production being green kiwifruit as well as green and brown nashi pears.
While it has a strong domestic market, it also has two premium export programs running to Germany and the UK, along with developing additional export programs to Asia.
Mr Cameron says consumers can look forward to the exceptional quality and taste of its Australian kiwifruit.
"Due to our location, high sunshine hours and low rainfall, eating quality is never an issue for us," he said. "Dry matter is always fantastic, resulting in some of the best kiwifruit in the planet for our customers and consumers."
Seeka Australia says its nashi pear production was also going well, and although volume was slightly down from last season, the quality of the crop is one of the best ever.
"Our harvest of nashis was completed four weeks ago at the end of March," Mr Cameron said. "The tonnage is down on last year; however, the quality is much better than last year due to the good growing conditions."
Seeka Australia also grows other varieties of pears such as Corella, Bosc, Packham and Paradise as well as cherries, apricots and plums. It also exports green kiwifruit, Hass avocados and kiwiberries from its parent company Seeka Limited in New Zealand to Australia.
The company says its Australian kiwifruit season will finish in late July, and supply of its nashi pears will continue to the end of October.
For more information:
Cameron Carter
Seeka Australia
Tel: +614 2842 7459
cameron.carter@seekaaustralia.com.au
Author: Matt Russell