Zespri triples RubyRed kiwifruit exports

Zespri’s almost tripled the amount of RubyRed kiwifruit it exported this season.

With new orchards in production the cooperative exported 330,000 trays of the red fruit to Japan, China, Singapore and Taiwan, despite smaller than predicted fruit.

Only 111,000 trays of the variety were exported to the same countries last year, with fruit quality issues plaguing growers of all variety of kiwifruit.

Last year Zespri chairperson Bruce Cameron said in an update to the industry that fruit loss and quality claims were well above historical averages last year, and he expected it to continue to be a problem in the future.

In April the cooperative said growers of the new RubyRed kiwifruit variety might take a financial hit after unusually wet weather meant a lot of the fruit harvested from the new variety was too small for export.

The red kiwifruit variety was naturally smaller than other kiwifruit varieties, but were even smaller this season because of the unusually wet weather conditions and many young orchards that recently began carrying fruit.

Chief grower and industry and sustainability officer at Zespri, Carol Ward said growing new commercialised varieties came with inherent uncertainties.

RubyRed was in only its second season of commercial production, compared to an established variety such as green kiwifruit which had been grown for more than 100 years, Ward said.

Despite quality issues and smaller fruit size Zespri supply chain technical specialist Leo Lai said packout improved with vine age, and fruit quality on arrival in markets this year was good, though there was some variability.

About 780 hectares of RubyRed was licensed in New Zealand, with another 150ha licensed this year, she said.

150-300 hectares would be released annually up to 2027, subject to annual review.

There were just over 13,000ha of kiwifruit orchards in New Zealand, according to the New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers.