The last charter vessel carrying this year's kiwifruit leaves Tauranga on Thursday, taking Zespri's total exports to about 102 million trays for the season.

Kiwifruit will be delivered to Kawasaki and Kobe in Japan.

The vessel is also being shared with the squash industry and will deliver a shipment of squash to New Caledonia.

Zespri director grower and corporate services Carol Ward says a total of 64 vessels have exported kiwifruit this season.

'It's relatively similar to last year's volumes. The growing conditions this year did impact on overall volumes but it did mean we had a great taste year.”

'We've seen the markets, such as Japan, react really positively toward the taste of the fruit.”

About 10 per cent of this year's kiwifruit still needs to be shipped overseas.

Containers carrying kiwifruit will continue heading overseas until the end of November.

'At this point in time the growers are already starting to think about next season with pollination and flowering, so we're looking forward to a good growing season and we'll start harvest in March next year.”