Massive bounce back

In MPI's latest outlook report, kiwifruit exports in 2025 will hit nearly $3.5 billion which Smith says is amazing given the problems including adverse weather the sector has had to deal with in the past couple of years.

"Issues such labour shortages, fruit quality issues and ongoing adverse weather conditions. They have done an amazing job despite all the problems they have faced," he says.

Smith says horticulture is now NZ's third largest export earner, having pushed forestry into 4th place and chasing down the meat and wool sector which earns just over $11 billion.

He says another highlight in the SOPI report is the apple sector with export earnings now sitting at just over $1 billion.

He says but for Cyclone Gabrielle, they may well have achieved this goal earlier.

He says people like our apples and see them as a good healthy product.

"With kiwifruit and apples, we now have two very large and developed industries with good technologies going in and good labour supply. We will see good growth this year," he says.