Another record kiwifruit harvest

More than 225 million trays of kiwifruit picked this year have smashed last year's record harvest of 216 million trays - which generated $3.5 billion in fruit and service payments.

Five million trays of red kiwifruit were harvested in early February, while close to 162 million trays of SunGold kiwifruit continue to be shipped from New Zealand coolstores to international markets.

It has been a less positive season for green growers, though, as the harvesting of their 58 million trays took longer than expected due to delayed maturity on vines, resulting in less fruit reaching supermarkets early in the season.

Seeka packed over 45 million trays - down from 47 million the year before, largely due to diminished green kiwifruit volumes, though with a record SunGold crop.

Chief executive Michael Franks said the company was satisfied with the result given the year it had had.

"In the case of the green kiwifruit, the numbers were there but the quality wasn't. We had a lot more shape issues, probably reflecting the growing conditions and pollination.

"There was a storm at a critical time through the growing season, and so perhaps the rejects [were] a little higher than we would have anticipated, and yields down on last year, which I think was disappointing."

In Australia, Seeka harvested 2.25 million kilograms of kiwifruit, down 14 percent following a hotter and drier growing season, delivering a smaller size profile and lowering earnings.

Franks said the season highlighted the benefits of Seeka's ongoing investment in automation and technology - improving productivity and delivering cost savings - with further improvements planned for next year.

Seeka was forecasting a net profit before tax for the 2026 financial year of between $38-$42 million - again down from $47.5m last year - but its second-highest earnings on record.

Zespri, meanwhile, has forecast similarly strong grower returns to last year - even accounting for increased freight costs relating to the Middle East conflict.

Chief executive Jason Te Brake said this reflected strong demand, particularly in Europe and North America.

"We're continuing to perform well in Japan and Korea, with steady sales in China, where we're seeing intense pricing pressure in the premium fruit category. Our in-market teams remain focused on maintaining strong sales rates to help maximise value as the season progresses.

"Fruit quality is also generally tracking well, but with a large crop to manage, maintaining quality remains a focus."

He said it was working closely with long-term shipping partners to ensure it continued running to plan.

Zespri's corporate net profit after tax, including licence revenue, is forecast to be between $355-$365m, up from $280m last year.

Bright future ahead for growers

New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc (NZKGI) chief executive Colin Bond said growers would be closely monitoring the large volumes of this season's crop as they flowed through to international markets.

"In a world that is becoming increasingly fractured, with supply chain risks and trade barriers, we've worked together to create a value chain that is best in class. The value we see today is not accidental. It is the result of a system that works, and one we must protect."

Looking further out over the next five years, returns are forecast to remain strong, with green kiwifruit returns at $9 to $11, gold at $11 to $14 and red $12.50 to $16.50 per tray, while production is forecast to increase to 236 million trays over this period.

Bond said proposed enhanced protections for plant variety rights - which extend ownership periods and reinstate provisional protections for new varieties - and the New Zealand-India free-trade agreement, which is creating new opportunities for growers, had the potential to further boost grower profitability over the coming years.