Strategic thinking and the ability to fund and resource new capital-intensive post-harvest development will be crucial to support the rebounding growth forecast for the kiwifruit industry in the next few years, says Apata Group managing director Stuart Weston.

That thinking was behind the merger last year of Aerocool Limited and Apata Limited, to become one of the kiwifruit industry's largest suppliers of green, green organic and gold fruit to Zespri. The company is also the avocado industry's largest post-harvest company and is closely aligned with Avoco – New Zealand's largest avocado marketing company.

'Our aim, as the industry recovers from the disease Psa-V, is building a more prosperous future for Apata Group and its growers,” says Stuart.

'Both of our companies have longstanding histories, which go back to the very formative years of the kiwifruit industry.

They are used to rolling up their sleeves and dealing with adversity – but also keeping an eye on the opportunities that inevitably emerge.”

There's an air of justified optimism in the industry right now, but Stuart says there is still a long way to go down the recovery pathway – and there will be bumps along the way.

However, thanks to its longevity in the industry and expertise in post-harvest innovation, new varieties and all categories of kiwifruit fruit, Apata Group Limited is well placed to meet those challenges, says Stuart.

'AGL's pedigree of new variety development has already kicked in and we are leading the pack and working with our supplying growers to perfect growing systems and supply chain protocols.

'The Hayward variety is still the backbone of the industry, and growers are currently enjoying record orchard gate returns. AGL can reduce fruit loss and boost per-tray returns for our growers to levels which are consistently among the top in the industry.”

'The collaboration, determination and innovation that it brought to bare in times of adversity is what enables our industry to survive and prosper,” says Stuart.