The techniques used by New Zealand kiwifruit orchardists have come under close scrutiny this week, from a group of 15 Italian growers and post-harvest technicians in the country on a fact-finding tour.

The orchardists, who grow SunGold fruit for Zespri, visited orchards in Gisborne and the Bay of Plenty and, according to Italian grower Fabio Ippoliti, there is much to learn from how this country grows kiwifruit.

'We are interested in the use of bees for pollination. In Italy, most growers use artificial pollination,” says Fabio, who is from the province of Aprilia, Latina, and is among Zespri's top Italian growers.

Italian beekeepers are mainly focused on honey production, but Fabio believes some may be convinced to use hives for kiwifruit pollination.

He is also impressed at the detailed data New Zealand grower collect about their vines, including counting buds to predict crop volumes and make management decisions.

Those on the tour were also interested in fertiliser use on New Zealand orchards, with Fabio saying he believes some Italian growers use too much nitrogen on their orchards.

Zespri's head of global supply for Europe, Craig Thompson, says the party will visit a total of 15 orchards during the week-long tour, which ends on Sunday.

'We took them to Gisborne because in terms of climate and soil types, it is closer to Italian conditions than the Bay of Plenty.

'In fact, some on the tour say Bay of Plenty growers have it too easy – our soils are so good they said we could probably grow babies in them.”

Italian Zespri SunGold growers during a visit to BayGold Orchard at Paengaroa.

Craig says the aim of the tour is to encourage an exchange of ideas and give Italian growers the chance to see management and quality techniques employed on New Zealand orchards.

Fruit grown in Italy for Zespri must meet the same high standards as the marketing company demands of its New Zealand growers.

'Italian Zespri SunGold growers can earn Eur1.30 per kg of fruit while those growing Hayward green fruit earn between 30 to 40 cents per kg. Growing SunGold to Zespri standards is more difficult and more costly but the financial rewards are there.”

The vine disease Psa-V infected Italian orchards before it was discovered in New Zealand.

Craig says the industry in Italy, like that in New Zealand, has largely recovered and the new variety SunGold has been a major factor in that recovery.

There are around 850 hectares of Zespri SunGold in production in Italy in 2016, with another 800ha is already in the ground and being established.

The Italian growers are part of Zespri's global supply programme which see the marketer source premium quality kiwifruit from Northern Hemisphere orchards to supply the market for the few months of the year when New Zealand-grown kiwifruit is not available.

That fruit comes from orchards in Italy, France, Korea and Japan