The harvest of the top-quality kiwi for the Sweeki brand has started in Chile. Origine Group plan to sell 2,000 tons of Italian kiwis and the same from Chile

In Chile the harvest of the green kiwis for the brand “Sweeki” of Origine Group has begun. This season the two Chilean members of the Group, David del Curto and Copefrut, will increase the quantity of Hayward bound to the brand “Sweeki Green”, used to market the top-quality kiwis of the Group. Only kiwifruits of superior quality, with great appearance, high sugar content and high dry matter can become Sweeki.

The first charter vessel carrying Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit is heading to China and Japan following this season’s early start to harvest.

The Southampton Star departed from Tauranga Harbour yesterday evening carrying approximately 3,000 pallets of Bay of Plenty-grown SunGold Kiwifruit bound for Shanghai and Kobe. The vessel had earlier berthed in Gisborne where it picked up 1,600 pallets of SunGold Kiwifruit, marking the start of what promises to be another bumper crop.

By the end of 2019, Zespri expects to present the market with its first variety of red kiwi. At the same time, the New Zealand company is preparing another green variety with a sweeter taste. Moreover, the company is considering using eco-friendly packaging to eliminate plastics and waste.

Zespri’s 2019 production in New Zealand is expected to be higher than the 150 million trays produced last year (+25% on 2017). The firm expects 10 million more trays of SunGold, although the green kiwi is expected to decline slightly.

At the Horti China trade show in Shanghai, Italian kiwifruit brand Jingold officially joins the management of the Jintao variety in China. The new Goodwei brand, under which Jingold will supply Chinese consumers with kiwifruit grown under license domestically, is the fruit of cooperation between the Italian firm and Chinese government bodies. Goodwei fruit is already offered this season, with volumes expected to pick up next season. It represents a partnership between Jingold and the Wuhan Botanical Garden, a research institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Origine Group in Kuala Lumpur meet supermarket and wholesale buyers; Alessandro Zampagna e Reen Nordin attending

The birthplace of the kiwifruit, China looks set to ship its kiwis to the European Union. China’s kiwi industry is developing rapidly and it can offer a range of quality varieties, like Xu Xiang. In order to gain access to the European markets, China’s exporters will have to guarantee food safety and agricultural waste standards. This will require the country’s producers to update their practices to improve quality and meet the requirements of the European Union. Oh-La International is committed to supporting farmers during this adaptation process.

Origine Group General Manager, Alessandro Zampagna, participate in Chile in the opening of the new plant of David Del Curto. “We work together to increase production maintaining quality and service”

The harvest of Zespri Kiwifruit from Northern Hemisphere orchards is well underway, with total volumes expected to reach more than 19 million trays this season.

Zespri Chief International Production Officer Sheila McCann-Morrison says the increased volumes demonstrate the progress being made on Zespri’s global supply strategy of providing consumers with Zespri Kiwifruit for all twelve months of the year.

This year’s annual International Kiwifruit Organization (IKO) was held in Bordeaux (France) from 9 to 12 September. The IKO delegates agreed on the importance of traceability of product origin and published data on production estimates for the 2018/2019 season. Excluding the yellow-fleshed kiwi, in the Northern Hemisphere (excluding China), supply is expected to reach 732,000 tons, which is 6% higher than last year’s poor harvest, but 3% below the 2014-2017 average.