New Zealand, the largest producer of kiwifruit in the world, announced the first harvest of this season in the Bay of Plenty, marking the earliest harvest ever.

New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc.(NZKGI) and Zespri have said that the current analysis shows that this season could mark a milestone for the industry. Over the coming months, a record crop of just over 200 million trays of kiwifruit will be harvested.

NZKGI said in a release that this would be a modest increase from last year’s record-breaking season of more than 190 million trays. On average, each tray has around 30 pieces of kiwifruit.

Zespri estimates that this year, it will reach its goal of having $4.5 billion in global revenue.

At a per hectare level, Green and Organic Green returns have reached record levels off the back of this season’s improved yields and the strong value secured for fruit throughout the season. SunGold per-hectare returns have also increased from November, while forecast RubyRed Kiwifruit returns remain steady per tray and hectare basis, Zespri said in a release.

Zespri had a successful 2024 by selling a record crop of more than 190 million trays at a strong value for growers.

"The substantial value we’ve secured on a big crop means we’ll exceed the target set in 2015 of reaching $4.5 billion in global revenue by 2025. This is a tremendous effort from the industry and reflects our commitment to building brand-led demand, delivering outstanding quality kiwifruit to our markets," Jason Te Brake, Zespri's CEO said. 

He also indicated that growing conditions have been largely favorable for most growers, and they expect moderate increases in SunGold and Green kiwifruit volumes, while Zespri's RubyRed^TM Kiwifruit will double in volume.

The success of New Zealand’s kiwifruit harvest is important for the industry and the broader regions in which kiwifruit is grown. In the 2023/24 season, kiwifruit growers contributed some $2.2bn to the local economy. New Zealand’s kiwifruit industry is horticulture’s largest export, with over 2,800 kiwifruit growers from Kerikeri to Motueka.

Photo credits: NZKGI