Kiwifruit: Zespri continues crackdown on illegal plantings in China

Zespri has been working with Chinese authorities to crack down on fraudulent SunGold kiwifruit plantings and the use of counterfeit packaging. Photo / Zespri / Craig Robertson

By Sally Murphy of RNZ

Kiwifruit company Zespri continues to crack down on illegal plantings of its SunGold variety in China with three people being sentenced to nearly four years in jail for their involvement in the trade of the fruit.

Chinese growers have been illegally planting SunGold or G3, which Zespri owns the rights to, since 2016 when a grower took clippings to China.

Zespri has since been working with authorities there to crack down on fraudulent plantings and the use of counterfeit packaging.

The company said as part of ongoing legal activity to protect the Zespri brand, it recently completed successful prosecutions against three individuals in China for online sales of locally grown fruit with counterfeit Zespri labels to the value of more than NZ$700,000.

The trio were each sentenced to three years and nine months in jail and ordered to pay a fine of 550,000 yuan (NZ$125,000).

The manufacturers and vendors of the counterfeit trademark labels supplied to the convicted trio have also been charged and that case is ongoing.

Zespri spokesman Tim Clarkson said the sentences send a strong message that the fraudulent use of intellectual property will not be tolerated.

“Our work with local authorities in China reflects Zespri’s strategy to take targeted action to keep unauthorised fruit or counterfeit branding out of our key channels, to protect the significant investment that’s been made in building a leading global brand and by New Zealand producers in licensed kiwifruit varieties, and demonstrates our commitment to food safety.

“We’re very thankful for the strong support of the Shanghai authorities and we will continue our collaborative approach to protecting grower and consumer interests.”

- RNZ