Aussies target of kiwfruit marketing campaign

Push of kiwifruit to Australia will focus on nutrition value.

The Kiwifruit Product Group is to start a three-year marketing programme to raise awareness about kiwifruit in Australia and increase consumption.

Chairperson Tony Ponder said the campaign, which kicks off in July, would focus on increasing consumption by communicating the high nutritional value of kiwifruit.

Gold export volumes across the Tasman were expected to increase while green would remain similar or lower than last year.

In 2014, 285,000 cartons of gold kiwifruit were exported to Australia and just over 1.35 million cartons of green kiwifruit.

"Most of this lift in volume is around the new Sungold variety which is more tolerant to the deadly Psa bacteria which has affected the Hort16a Gold variety," he said.

Due to this lift in worldwide demand, green volumes into Australia were likely to reduce or remain static. The strong performance of the New Zealand dollar against the Australian dollar was anticipated to affect the price for green New Zealand kiwifruit with prices expected to remain consistent throughout the supply season.

"This also signals a maturing of the industry to work collectively to grow the value of the Australian market."

A spokesperson for Zespri said the company supported the KPG initiative to promote New Zealand kiwifruit in Australia and, as a member of the Kiwifruit Export to Australia group, would contribute to the three-year marketing programme.

Zespri was one of 13 licenced exporters to Australia and active in the market, selling Zespri Gold PVR varieties.

"Promoting the taste and health benefits of green and gold kiwifruit in Australia will definitely stimulate consumer awareness.

"It also helps drive the value proposition to support the premium pricing that can be achieved across Australia, where retail fruit prices are generally very good from a New Zealand return perspective."

Annual exports to Australia represented around 3 per cent of the total kiwifruit exports from New Zealand.