Kiwifruit exporter toasts record season

By Phil Boeyen, ShareChat Business News Editor

Friday 23rd November 2001

Kiwifruit marketer Zespri International claims it is poised to pass on a record return to its suppliers as its moves towards the end of the selling season.

The company says net revenues for the season have hit a new record of $744.8 million, 7% higher than last year on the back of higher global volumes and slightly softer prices.

Executive chairman, Doug Voss, says the increased return is a reflection of the very successful end to European sales.

"Our strategy was to go in fast and hard which meant that the fruit moved through the system quickly, giving us a strategic foothold and an ability to limit our costs.

"At the end of the first six weeks of selling, Europe was 3.4 million trays ahead of the same time last year, and it never lost that impetus."

Mr Voss says Europe, which is the single biggest market Zespri kiwifruit, maintained overall prices on 17% higher volumes with significant gains for its green and organic products but lower volumes and prices for gold kiwifruit after a difficult start.

"We have yet to complete sales in Japan. The market is tight and we expect to be selling through January but our end of season forecast takes this into account, along with an improvement in Asian prices and volumes, and higher volumes on softer prices in North America and the diverse markets in the Middle East, South America and Australasia."

Zespri International says operational and market planning has already started for the next season.

Comments from our readers

No comments yet