Climate change-resilient Sassy apple exports set to double this year

The "Sassy" apple, bred by Plant and Food Research, has proven to have a long storage and shelf life.

By Alexa Cook of RNZ

A new type of climate change-resilient apple is proving popular overseas, with exports tipped to nearly double this year.

The “Sassy” apple was bred by Plant and Food Research and is being grown by Taylor Corp in Hawke’s Bay and the Golden Bay Fruit company.

It can tolerate warmer climates while still developing good red colouring even during hotter summers.

That represents a major success for Plant and Food Research apple breeder Richard Volz, who started developing Sassy back in 2001.

“It was a little bit by chance that we found it, because it’s not often that we find those sorts of apples,” he said.

“It’s difficult to breed for a future hot climate in New Zealand when, compared with many other parts of the world, we have a moderate climate.”

Volz described the Sassy apple as being a vibrant block red colour, with a zesty flavour that ripens early in the season.

It has also proven to have a long storage and shelf life, and natural resilience in the orchard.

“Sassy is unique because it colours often in February in Hawke’s Bay, when it can be quite warm, and many apples struggle for colour,” Volz said.

“We have to have good colour in our fruit, particularly for the Asian market.

“It was identified early on that this is an apple that colours well every year, even when it’s warm, so it could be good for other hot climates.”

The new apple variety was introduced to the market by Prevar, a joint venture between Plant and Food Research, New Zealand Apples and Pears Inc. and Apples and Pears Australia Ltd. established to commercialise new apple and pear varieties.

The global licence is held by NGA, a joint venture between growers Golden Bay Fruit and Taylor Corp, which are working together to export Sassy to consumers all over the world.

Exports of the zesty block red apple are forecast to nearly double this season to 1.8 million kilograms, and the variety is now being sold to more than 10 countries.

Volz said it had been a very rewarding project.

“It’s the kind of success that reminds us why we do this work, to create varieties that truly make a difference for growers, exporters, and consumers,” he said.

Plant and Food Research apple breeder Richard Volz (left) and Taylor Corp owner Kelvin Taylor. Photo / RNZ

Taylor Corp owner Kelvin Taylor told RNZ he was excited about the apple’s future because it was now being grown in nurseries in South Africa, China, Europe and Britain.

“The volumes are going to shoot up pretty quickly once these other countries get involved with it, they’re all saying the flavour of it and the colouring is outstanding,” he said.

During the peak of the season, the Taylor Corp packhouse processes about 3000 apples a minute. Photo / RNZ

During the peak of the season, the Taylor Corp packhouse processes about 3000 apples a minute through its new machines that sort through the crop, picking the best fruit for export and sending the blemished apples off to be juiced.

Taylor has been growing apples for more than 50 years and said climate change was certainly something they had to consider when choosing what to plant.

“It’s a totally different way you have to look at things now, it’s a challenge,” he said.

One of the many challenges in a warming climate is disease and pests, so Plant and Food Research is working on new varieties that are more resistant to both, and will require less spraying.

“That’s an important part of our work,” Volz said.

“As the climate changes in future, some of those pests and disease pressures for growers are going to get worse and worse, so we need to be doing that.”

- RNZ