By PHILIPPA STEVENSON
Pipfruit exporter Enza will pay growers their highest average return in six years, but the payment will be made on a much reduced crop.
The company enjoyed a strong finish to a year that was dogged by controversy, particularly in respect of its failed foreign exchange contracts.
Yesterday,
the former monopoly seller said it would return $237 million to growers, down nearly $60 million on last year but representing an average payment $3.40 higher at $19.74 a carton.
Enza sold 12 million cartons of fruit this year, down from 18.1 million last year.
Pipfruit Growers chairman Phil Alison said the mix of apple size and variety meant that some growers would receive well above the average payment and others would be well below it.
"The growers with big, high-quality fruit would have come out of the season pretty well, but some haven't quite had the volume this year."
But the better-than-expected result had raised the optimism of the industry, he said.
Growers had also been buoyed by settlement of the forex row, achieving deregulation, a favourable start to the growing season and strong overseas interest in the new season's fruit.
Mr Alison said the bars and restaurants of Hawkes Bay were doing a roaring trade as would-be exporters courted growers, who had never had such attention when Enza was the only exporter of their fruit.
He had personally enjoyed "bucketloads" of free dinners.
"It's fabulous. They keep wondering why we won't sign but they'll stop taking you out to dinner then."
Enza managing director Michael Dossor took the opportunity to also pitch for grower business.
"I believe the returns provide a positive testimony of Enza's ability to deliver results for our growers," he said.
"In this new deregulated environment, I think growers need a reliable partner with a proven history of success and financial stability."
