Orchard values are up, the crops look stunning – and as the kiwifruit industry recovers from the severe impacts of the disease Psa-V, it's with renewed confidence that it prepares for the 2014 harvest, say post-harvest operators.

EastPack chief executive Tony Hawken
The kiwifruit industry has turned the corner in the last six months with a quiet confidence also influencing improving orchards values, says Tony.

'There's a good dose of optimism in the industry and there are very good reasons why that should be the case. New Zealand produces a good product and there's demand for our kiwifruit internationally. The industry is in a good space at present; and we are feeling quite bullish about the future.

'The size and quality of the crop waiting to be harvested is very pleasing.”

While it's too early to make accurate estimates, Tony says the 2014 crop volume will probably exceed last season's.

'The harvest may be five to seven days earlier than last year, depending on the weather. Recent rain will have helped size fruit but dry matter levels will determine the harvest start. 'Last year's fruit was on average smaller, but its high dry matter and taste meant it sold well in the markets, setting the stage for this season's fruit which hopefully reaches a similar high taste level.”

Growers are learning rapidly how to produce kiwifruit successfully in the Psa environment and making the most of the tools available. 'They are very aware of the impacts of weather events which favour Psa and how to protect their vines. We can't be complacent because Psa will be with us forever and a day.”

Apata Group managing director Stuart Weston
Gold kiwifruit crops are 'stunning” with good fruit numbers and quality boosting industry confidence ahead of the coming harvest, says Stuart.

'The new golds Charm (G9) and SunGold (G3) look exceptional and that bodes well for the harvest. The kiwifruit industry has gone from a very dark place two seasons ago, to one where confidence has returned. While a small number of orchards are still struggling from the impacts of Psa, many more are really profitable with some growers achieving up to $200,000 a hectare.”

Stuart says the turnaround is exceptional; and due to a number of factors, including the large scale removal in Te Puke of the gold Hort16A, in Te Puke of the gold Hort16A, which is very susceptible to the disease Psa-V and replacing it with more tolerant new varieties, growers are competently adopting best practice management techniques to minimise the impacts of the disease. Plus, last season's ‘vintage' harvest, with a crop of high tasting fruit, found strong favour in the markets.

Psa infections in green Hayward male vines probably impacted on pollination for some Hayward vines with crop volumes patchy in some orchards, but fruit size and quality is good. A similar problem is evident in many organic green orchards. However, the size is up in most of the new sweet green variety crops, thanks to growers paying particular attention to pollination.

'Hayward volumes will be slightly down this season while gold volumes will be slightly up. It won't be a record crop year, but volumes will increase in coming seasons.”

SunGold is an absolutely delight to pick, pack and store; and Stuart says early problems with shrivelling and lenticel pitting in the Charm variety are being overcome with increased understanding of growing and handling the fruit.

'Zespri's presentations at recent grower road shows were exciting and indicated growers can expect good returns from the markets again this season.”

Apata Group Limited, (Apata and Aerocool) expect to begin harvesting fruit in the last week of March, a little earlier than last year. We are looking forward to getting our teeth into the 2014 season with optimism and confidence,” says Stuart.

Hume Pack-N-Cool grower services manager Maria Rogan
Kiwifruit crop volumes will be similar to last year and the fruit quality and size appears to be tracking well.

'Green and gold crops are both growing nicely, and rain in mid-January was just what we needed to maintain the momentum for a good growing year.

'Pollination was great, especially for the green crops reflecting the good fruit quality we are seeing. Pests such as scale are quite prevalent this year, perhaps because of the mild winter, so growers are needing to monitor these to ensure they have adequate control.”

Maria says harvest should begin earlier rather than later, as it did last year.

'Growers are managing the Psa situation and just getting on with growing. Certainly, there is evidence of the disease in the orchards but to date it is quite manageable and is becoming just a new era in the growing of kiwifruit.

'Growers are quietly confident that Psa will be manageable and this confidence is reflected in the increase in interest in orchard sales,” says Maria.

Direct Management Services director Paul Jones
The new gold varieties look outstanding and are of excellent quality and size, a result which is cementing the confidence DMS has long held in G3 and G9, says Paul.

'There is variability in the green crop with some orchards suffering from less than ideal pollination, which is to a degree Psa-related, because of the impact of the disease on male vines. However, crops which have been well pollinated are looking good.”

Paul is predicting an increase for the DMS packing/coolstore business of up to 15 per cent in overall crop volume on last year, with a quadruple increase in G3 volumes, thanks to young vines coming into production and an increase in hectares planted in the new gold.

'Growers are managing well in the Psa environment, helped by a great spring and the use of best practice management techniques including the removal of diseased material; not that we are seeing much of that, partly because there is no Hort16A around now.
'However, some growers are still suffering from the impacts of Psa and there are some green Hayward orchards we are concerned about. G3 has enjoyed a charmed run this spring and summer.

'There is a lot of confidence in the industry now, as it becomes obvious it will not only survive but also prosper. That's reflected in orchard values returning to pre-Psa levels and many growers are receiving a good cash flow with our highest earning G3 clients achieving OGRs of more than $200,000 per hectare.”

Pauls says the industry owes a debt of gratitude to the banking sector which stuck by growers, helping them stay in the industry.

'They could have behaved differently, but they chose to support us. I think some local managers probably went out on a limb for their clients – and as an industry we should be grateful they did.”

Zespri's predictions out to 2017-2018 are exciting for the industry, Paul says.

'Currently, demand for Zespri kiwifruit exceeds supply and the outlook is excellent.”

Paul predicts G3 crop volumes will build rapidly to 50 to 60 million trays; and that will put pressure on packing capacity. 'It's not an issue for 2014 but for the future – and it's a good problem to have. The sector is already working towards handling it.”

DMS has a loyal, reliable local labour force and always aims to support Kiwi workers first, but will once again employ a small number of RSE workers who've been with the company for many years.