Record Kiwifruit Harvest Brings Optimism, but Green Growers Face Profitability Challenges
Signs for the 2026-27 kiwifruit crop look good, but there are still some challenges for growers – especially those who produce green kiwifruit.
In its August forecast it expects those payments, excluding the loyalty premium, to reach $1.07b for the 2015-16 season.
The current forecast is an increase of $155.8m vs the $915.8m achieved in 2014-15 season. The forecast will be updated this month, then again later in the year.
The August 2015 forecast for Green of $4.87 per tray sits at the lower end of the range previously published (July range $4.80 - $5.20) and compares to $6.01 in the 2014-15 season. But orchard productivity has substantially increased, so the August 2015 forecast per hectare return is $53,841, which is close to the same record return achieved in 2014-15.
August is the first forecast when Zespri puts out tray figures to the industry rather than a range.
The August forecast for Gold orchard gate return is $7.76 per tray, which is at the mid-point of the July range of $7.60 - $7.90 vs $9.80 last year. The per hectare return is forecast at $67,378 vs $73,890 last year.
Green Organic is forecast at $6.75 per tray (July range $6.70 - $7.00) vs $7.37 last year. The per hectare return is forecast at $49,565 vs $43,996 last year. Green14 is at $6.69 per tray (July range $6.50 - $7.10) vs $7.08 last year. The forecast per hectare return is $41,040 vs $29,682 last year.
