Kiwifruit represents the bulk of New Zealand’s horticultural exports. Northern hemisphere fruit was still available when New Zealand fruit entered the EU market in mid-2005, resulting in depressed fruit prices. While strong marketing by the exporter Zespri Group Ltd held prices for New Zealand kiwifruit at the same level as the previous season in most markets, export returns in 2005-06 were lower because of the higher New Zealand dollar. Between 2005-06 and 2009-10, MAF expects international prices for New Zealand kiwifruit to rise slowly as the already high quality standards are further enhanced and exports of the higher priced gold variety increase.

Production
Kiwifruit productivity per hectare has increased steadily over the past ten years. In 2005-06, kiwifruit production was estimated at 338 000 tonnes, of which an estimated 313 000 tonnes were exported, valued at NZ$657million (fob) and contributing 29 per cent of total horticultural earnings.

Between 2001-02 and 2004-05 the area planted to kiwifruit rose by 2 per cent to 12 030 hectares (Statistics New Zealand). As no new licences have been issued since 2001 for the premium gold variety, the increased area is primarily planted to the green variety. However, some growers who struggle to grow high quality gold fruit have sold their licences to the gold variety and replanted with the green variety.

Kiwifruit production and exports – New Zealand 1989 1994 1999 2005 -90 -95 -2000 -6 Production  April–March years Total area planted  as at June ha 17 508 11 873 12 184 12 030 Total kiwifruit production kt 314 228 262 338 Exports  April–March years Kiwifruit – volume kt 200 198 196 313 Kiwifruit – value a 2005-06$NZm 360 290 400 657 a Export values are expressed in 2005-06 prices: values have been deflated using the overseas trade price exports index for fruit and vegetables (OTPQ.SEA1AV1) – Statistics New Zealand. Sources: Statistics New Zealand;Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

processing and industry structure
Zespri Group Ltd is owned by kiwifruit growers and is responsible for marketing almost all the export kiwifruit from New Zealand, except for the Australian market. The New Zealand Kiwifruit Board (Kiwifruit New Zealand) monitors and enforces Zespri’s compliance with the regulatory measures set in the Kiwifruit Export Regulations 1999. The board also decides whether to approve other exporters who wish to export kiwifruit in collaboration with Zespri.

marketing and trade
New Zealand kiwifruit marketing combines health, convenience and diversity through trademarked kiwifruit varieties and more recently the ‘kiwiberry’ (also referred to as the baby kiwi) – a bite-sized kiwifruit that can be eaten whole.

New Zealand kiwifruit yields exceed those of other countries in tonnes per hectare (FAOSTAT). Approximately 0.7 million tonnes of kiwifruit enter world trade each year, which is dominated by Italy (35 per cent), New Zealand (32 per cent) and Chile (15 per cent).