Pipfruit acreage down, but quality high for New Zealand
Pipfruit acreage down, but quality high for New Zealand
New Zealand pipfruit producers are anticipating slight decreases in apple and pear volumes exported this season. “Export apple volumes for the 2015 season were estimated to be around 300,000 tons,” said Alan Pollard, chief executive officer of Pipfruit New Zealand. Reductions in pear volumes are expected to follow a similar tend. “Export pear volumes for the 2015 season were estimated at approximately 5,000 tons,” Pollard added.
Alan Pollard
“The quality of the fruit is outstanding this season,” he continued.
According to Pollard, production acreage increased by 495 acres this season, representing a 2 percent increase for a total of 22,143 acres. Statistically, both apples and pears will show a 4 percent decrease over the 2014 season. “Some hail events pre- and post-Christmas have impacted on the proportion of the total production available for export and domestic supply,” Pollard told The Produce News.
During the 2014 season, Pollard said New Zealand exported approximately 41,800 tons of apples and pears to the United States. “This was about 13 percent of total exports,” he noted. “In terms of single countries of destination, as opposed to regions, the U.S. and the U.K. were about first, equal for export volumes for 2014.”
New Zealand’s apple pie chart was distributed as follows in terms of planted acreage: Royal Gala, 27 percent; Braeburn, 15 percent; New Zealand Rose/Queen/Beauty, 13 percent; Jazz, 10 percent; and Fuji, 9 percent.
Breaking the total apple export volume down by variety, Pollard provided this additional information: Royal Gala, 32 percent; Braeburn, 20 percent; Fuji, 9 percent; Jazz, 9 percent; New Zealand Rose/Queen/Beauty, 8 percent; and Pink Lady, 7 percent.