It has been a bumper year for kiwifruit, with export values up 20% to $3.1 billion in the year ended August 2024, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.
That’s an increase of $524 million when compared with the year ended August 2023.
“Kiwifruit export values for the season so far are the highest they have ever been,” Stats NZ international trade manager Viki Ward said.
The kiwifruit export season is typically from March to November. Gold kiwifruit exports were $2.4bn, up $45m (24%) from the year ended August 2023. This increase was driven by an increase in quantity (up 23%).
Green kiwifruit exports were $737m, up $67m (9.9%) over the same period. The increase in green kiwifruit export values was driven by an increase in price (up 9%).
“Growers in New Zealand are increasingly planting gold, and now red, kiwifruit, to capture greater export value in markets like China and Japan,” Ward said.
The top destination for gold kiwifruit is China, while the top destination for green is the European Union.
