New Zealand's apples have been later and smaller this year but the country's peak pipfruit body still expects an export figure of 16 million cartons, website Radionz.co.nz reported.

Pipfruit New Zealand chairman Ian Palmer told Radio New Zealand the later harvest was a result of wet and cool weather.

"We’re into the later varieties now – Braeburn, Kanzi, Fuji, Pacific Rose, Pacific Queen, so there is still quite a bit of fruit out there to be harvested at this stage. It's certainly been a more challenging harvest," he told the broadcaster.

"There’s been some pretty difficult weather in Hawke’s Bay there for a while, and also the average size of the apples have been a bit smaller, particularly in the earlier varieties, so that has also slowed things down a little. It takes longer to fill a bin.

Palmer added there was also a shortage of fruit pickers this year.

www.freshfruitportal.com