WELLINGTON - Strong kiwifruit prices have lifted the forecast end-of-season grower returns to $404.6 million, up from $399.2 million last month and are edging closer to last year's record $410 million, says Kiwifruit New Zealand.
The forecast represents a 14c a tray rise in distributable returns to $7.46.
"The industry is in
very good stead to enter the new millennium," said Kiwifruit NZ chairman Doug Voss.
"We have notched up growth in orchard-gate returns of 76 per cent within two years, well above the 60 per cent growth we targeted."
The industry had also made progress on another key growth strategy with the first shipments of non-New Zealand kiwifruit.
And it was finalising plans for a grower referendum to create Zespri Group in time for the new financial year in 2000, making the industry a grower-owned company.
Voting in the producers' referendum closes on December 20, with results to be made public on December 21.
Meanwhile, the boards of Kiwifruit NZ and Zespri International appointed Mr Voss as new chairman of Zespri and Brian Armstrong as deputy chairman.
John Bourke is the new chairman of Kiwifruit NZ, with Hendrik Pieters as his deputy. - NZPA
