As industry’s recovery from tough four years continues, association leader confirms new harvest exceeds expectations
New Zealand’s latest apple harvest is so good, it seems, the country is in for its best season in a long time.
That’s certainly the view of Karen Morrish, chief executive officer at industry body Apples and Pears NZ, who told Hort News that the new crop had “well and truly exceeded” their initial expectations.
“We had perfect winter chilling, good chemical thinning results, the spring was stable, appropriate rainfall and a nice summer making for a great harvest,” she commented.
“The fruit is very clean, there has been good pest and disease management, apple size is great, and the colour of the fruit has been spectacular.”
That said, she noted there was also a sense of continued repair and renewal following Cyclone Gabrielle, which struck the Hawke’s Bay region hard in 2023 and compounded various other challenges for growers.
As a result, she revealed, some had decided to sell their orchards rather than borrow to to rebuild, while others had leased their land or switched to other crops.
In the meantime, those who had been able to invest had moved the industry towards a greater volume of licensed, premium varieties, she added. “A lot of those new varieties are now hitting the five-year mark and that is adding to the positive vibes in the sector.”
