Zespri shrugs off UK growing success

Local kiwifruit marketer Zespri is not concerned by news that British supermarket Sainsbury's has grown 1200 kilograms of apricots in the UK, and may soon target kiwifruit.

The apricots, sold through 250 Sainsbury's stores, represent the first commercial harvest of the fruit in Britain.

Peter Luxton, Zespri's general manager of global marketing services, chuckled at the news.

He said: "1200 kilograms - big quantity."

Zespri shipped 81.5 million trays of kiwifruit globally last year, worth $1.02 billion.

New Zealand production of the fruit accounts for between 20 and 25 per cent of the global market.

The success of the British apricot harvest, and the possibility of growing kiwifruit, has been attributed to global climate warming.

The average temperature in Britain has risen about 1C since 1900 and the growing season lengthened by about a month.

Within the next century the south-east of England could have temperature rises of a further 5C, making it as hot as the French wine-growing region of Bordeaux.

But rather than seeing British kiwifruit production as a threat, Luxton says Zespri would welcome the move. "If anything it would actually help develop the kiwifruit category in the UK."

He says kiwifruit-producing countries tend to be the biggest consumers and the opposed growing seasons would be complementary rather than competitive.

Changing global climates could also have an impact on the New Zealand horticultural landscape over time, he says.

"Whether you're talking about grapes, kiwifruit, apples or whatever else, some of the traditional homes of those products might actually move around a little bit, even within New Zealand."