New Zealand kiwifruit marketer Zespri has increased its season forecast as the harvest kicks off, but volumes will still be down on last year.

With first shipments expected to leave the country bound for Japan in early April, Zespri supply chain general manager Sally Gardiner says expected volumes are still similar to production in "normal" years.

Last year the crop rose 12% year-on-year to 115 million trays, but in 2012 it is expected fall by 17%.

"In 2012, we expect that due to Psa and seasonal factors the crop will be around 95 million trays, which is closer to the production of a more normal season," she says

A company release said Zespri would harvest 20 million trays of gold kiwifruit, 70 million trays of green kiwifruit, 3.5 million trays of organic and around two million trays of newly-commercialized varieties.

"What is really exciting is seeing new variety volumes increase.  The kiwifruit industry has identified one of these varieties, known as Gold3, as the potential future foundation for our gold kiwifruit category in a Psa environment," says Gardiner.

"This year we will have up to one million trays of Gold3 and it will allow us to continue to build the profile of this fruit with our customers around the world and also increase our understanding of the fruit's performance throughout the Zespri supply chain."

New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated (NZKGI) president Neil Trebilco, says the season start has brought mixed feelings from the industry.

"For some growers this will be their first year without a crop, and for other growers they are facing the fact that once their vines have been picked they will likely have to be cut out and grafted across to a more Psa tolerant variety.

"There are a couple of tough years ahead for the industry as it builds its pathway out of Psa, but we are confident we will emerge from the current challenging times in stronger shape."

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