The first export shipment of kiwifruit is due to leave Port of Tauranga at lunchtime Sunday. The first shipment is to Japan and is of about 1450 pallets - approximately 195,000 trays of Zespri Green kiwifruit. The ship is due to arrive in Kobe, Japan on April 9, after being shipped from Gisborne and Tauranga onboard the Asian Lily.

The first shipment of Zespri kiwifruit leaves Tauranga abord the Asian Lily, destined for Japan.

About 180,000 trays of Gold kiwifruit is leaving aboard the Sasanqua.

Japan is an important market, says Zespri director of corporate and grower services Carol Ward.
"Consumer demand for top quality Zespri Green, Gold and Organic kiwifruit is very high. Japan is a strong market for Zespri due both to the large volumes we export there - 17 per cent of Zespri's total global export - and the positive Yen/NZ$ exchange rate."
Zespri marketing manager for Japan Toshiyuki Suda says Japanese customers and consumers are eagerly anticipating the arrival of great tasting, high quality and healthy New Zealand kiwifruit.
"Our key message for Japanese consumers this season is positioning kiwifruit as 'the fruit that refines your body', making you healthy and beautiful. We are reinforcing this message through two new television commercials, one for Zespri Green and another for Zespri Gold kiwifruit, and continued in-store promotion and tastings," says Toshiyuki.