Zespri says kiwifruit sales running ahead after slow start

Zespri chief executive Lain Jager says the kiwifruit marketer's sales are running strongly after a slow start.

Kiwifruit marketer Zespri said its weekly sales were running strongly after a delayed start to the season.

"After a late start to the 2016 season with delayed maturity, we're pleased to report that weekly sales run rates have now surpassed last year's sales and we're on track to sell 82 million trays of NZ Green and 47 million trays of NZ SunGold," chief executive Lain Jager told the annual meeting.

"The strong positive response from customers and consumers around the world is very encouraging as we seek to further establish SunGold in new and developed markets," he said.

Jager said that after a "satisfactory" 2015/16, Zespri would focus on growing demand ahead of supply.

The forecast corporate profit range for the yearto March 2017 is $66m to $71m, up from $35.8 million in 2016/7. This year's result will include proceeds of the Gold3 licence release.

As previously reported, sales sales revenue for the 2015/6 season grew to hit a record high of $1.9 billion, up 22 percent from the previous season.

The total fruit and service payment to growers for New Zealand-grown fruit also grew 22 percent on the previous year to $1.143 billion, with average return per hectare reaching a record $60,758.