February 16, 2023
Kiwifruit harvest starts as storm moves away
The kiwifruit harvest is off to a rough start, with the first crop picked this morning in Pukehina, outside Tauranga, on the orchard of grower Robert MacKenzie.
Zespri’s new RubyRed variety is picked first, followed by the Gold and Green varieties.
The harvest traditionally peaks in mid-April and runs through until June.
Adverse weather over recent months has meant lower volumes are forecast.
Last year 160 million trays containing an average of 30 fruit were exported.
Cyclone Gabrielle spread its wind rain across every kiwifruit growing region in this week, a particularly critical time for kiwifruit growth so close to harvest.
New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers chief executive Colin Bond says he’s working with other industry leaders and government to assess the damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the immediate needs of growers and other stakeholders.
Kiwifruit accounts for about a quarter of all Maori horticultural land and contributes more than $164 million a year into the Maori economy.