The future looks good as infrastructure can handle new plantings coming onstream, Pipruit NZ independent grower representative Peter Beaven said.
A LATE harvest has not dampened spirits in the Hawke's Bay apple industry, thanks to good quality and a likely continuation of record returns.
Pipfruit New Zealand chief executive Alan Pollard estimated 19.5 million export cartons for 2016, an increase of 5.5 per cent on last year.
Industry returns are forecast to top $700 million, compared with last season's bumper $630 million. In 2012 it was $341 million, so if this year's forecast return was met, the industry would enjoy a 105 per cent increase in four years.
"I am pretty optimistic we will have another good season this year," Pipfruit New Zealand independent grower representative and Hawke's Bay Regional councillor Peter Beaven said.
For the coming season he said the only issue so far was fruit ripening 10 to 14 days later than normal, which would put pressure on harvest processing because a late start usually didn't result in a late finish. Recent cooler nights and warm days were welcome, helping to intensify colour so long as there was at least a 14C degree difference between the highs and lows. "It's not what the rest of the region wants but it would be quite helpful for us. If we don't get the cool evenings it tends to wash the colour out of the fruit."
Industry mood was "pretty positive" with quality fruit on trees and continuing industry growth.
He said the word from exporters attending Fruit Logistica, the leading international fair of the fruit trade, was good markets were ready for New Zealand fruit.
"It is a really important meeting firstly because the Southern Hemisphere Association of Fresh Fruit Exporters meet and we get to look at the size of the crop that is coming out of the rest of the Southern Hemisphere.
"It is also important because they get to assess how the Northern Hemisphere crop is clearing in Europe and what our opportunities might look like. They get to talk with importers and distributors/supermarkets about what their requirements will be for the following season.
"They all came back pretty positive: The European market is emptying well, the American market is short of large fruit. Normally this time of year there is not much demand because they have got quite a lot left in storage, but view this year there is quite a bit of demand. There is a large and growing market in parts of Asia and the Middle East as well."
He said the corporatisation of the industry, 10 growers account for about 90 per cent of volume, was another reason for industry optimism. The bigger players had steady relationships, he said.
"You are not getting in a scrap over customers and in a scrap over growers.
"Ten years ago, when there were a lot more smaller growers in the industry, the exporters would be queuing in their door to make them offers they couldn't refuse.
"That created a great deal of instability in the industry. Those days have largely passed and most independent growers are now aligned to one pack house or another. You have got quite a lot of stability in the industry."
He is not concerned with profits going overseas through foreign ownership.
"I'm more concerned to see the industry generating jobs and economic success here in Hawke's Bay.
"When you look at the industry nationally there is no doubt that Hawke's Bay is looking at a brighter future than the others because we got corporatised earlier. We have got big packhouses that are well capitalised. A significant percentage of the expansion of the industry we are looking at has happened here."
New plantings coming on stream meant more investment was needed in infrastructure.
"I don't think anyone has really got a handle on that. What tends to happen is many growers will go ahead and they will see a good future for themselves and they will go ahead and plant. So you get production coming on but the same people that are doing that are necessarily investing in the infrastructure that is required to support production, production being cold stores and packhouses, while I think it is probably predictable that if we don't see some further investments in those infrastructures in the next year there is going to be quite a bit of pressure."
Corporate grower Apollo is confident in its infrastructure, with a state-of-the-art packhouse and updated controlled atmosphere installations.
Apollo is owned by German conglomerate BayWa, which also owns Enza through T&G.
Apollo has 44 coolstores, and recently doubled its nitrogen generators for oxygen-free fruit storage in sealed rooms.
"If you get an apple in good condition going in it will be in good condition when it comes out," cold store engineer Mike Dobbs said.
He's not fazed by the late harvest putting pressure on the harvest of varieties.
"We can handle anything that comes along."
Two of the region's biggest growers recently opened shared coolstores.
Bostock New Zealand and Mr Apple recently opened a 8600sq m coolstore which can store 30,000 bins, and plan to build another. Bostock owner John Bostock said Hawke's Bay could use 10 more.
Fresh from a trip to China he predicted double-digit growth in the country with the greatest population. The new coolstore facility, which has the region's largest single-room coolstore and a stage two planned, is a state-of-the-art facility providing full traceability.
Mr Apple chief executive Andrew Van Workum said the two companies had worked together for years and were strengthening sales networks, especially into Asia. They are co-owners of two other ventures. They are partners in juice processor Profruit and along with Freshmax own variety procurement and development company Fruitcraft.
"It is about the industry. Like-minded people coming together and collaborating for more momentum," he said.
"It's a big world out there."