New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc chief executive Colin Bond said the success of this year’s harvest was a result of great teamwork throughout the supply chain.
“I would like to thank the thousands of pickers and packers as well as the countless other workers who have rolled up their sleeves over the last year and worked diligently to create a successful harvest for our industry.
“The fruits of their labour have a flow-on effect to the wider communities who also profit from our success.
“Growers now eagerly await the prices that Zespri can attract in overseas markets for their fruit, despite gaining strong pe- tray returns over the last two years, poor yield has hurt growers financially.”
The low yields, combined with increasing orchard costs, had meant many growers were under the pump to keep their businesses afloat, Bond said.
