Pipfruit exports grow

The pipfruit industry has predicted that this season's exports will rise 11 per cent to 16.6 million cartons, or 299,000 tonnes.

Last season's crop was 14.9 million cartons, Pipfruit New Zealand said in its newsletter.

The largest proportion of the export crop will come from Hawkes Bay, which is expected to supply 63 per cent of the crop, at 10.4 million cases.

Nelson production will drop slightly to 5.2 million cases, or 31 per cent of the national crop. Central Otago's export crop will fall slightly to 380,000 cases.