Ōpōtiki grower wins 2025 Kiwifruit Innovation Award
Brett Wotton, an Eastern Bay of Plenty kiwifruit grower and harvest contractor, has won the 2025 Kiwifruit Innovation Award for his work to support lifting fruit quality across the industry.
Zespri returned almost $2 billion to New Zealand’s kiwifruit industry in the 2019/20 financial year.
The kiwifruit marketer’s 2019/20 financial results show total fruit and service payments, which are returns to the New Zealand industry, increased by 8% on the year prior $1.96 billion.
Zespri’s total operating revenue was $3.36 billion, up from $3.14 billion, with global revenue from fruit sales increasing by 7% to $3.14 billion.
This was based on the sale of 164.4 million trays of New Zealand and non-New Zealand-grown kiwifruit, a 2% reduction on the previous year.
Zespri made a net profit after tax of $200.8 million, up from $179.8 million in 2018/19.
The company’s board expects the total dividend for 2019/20 to be 94c/share, up slightly from 92c/share in 2018/19.
“Overall, 2019/20 was another strong year for Zespri with continued growth in our largest markets including Japan, Greater China and Europe,” says Zespri chief executive Dan Mathieson.
“On top of strong returns we achieved some real milestones last season including commercialising the new Zespri Red Kiwifruit variety, opening our new Head Office in Mount Maunganui, launching our new brand, announcing our sustainability targets and investing more than ever in communities,” he says.
Strong results across each fruit category
• The average Green per tray return increased to $6.67, with the average per hectare return for Green reaching a record high of $67,295.
• Organic Green reached an average return per tray of $9.88, with the average per hectare return reaching $63,734.
• The SunGold average return per tray increased to $11.86, and the average return per hectare was also a record $161,660.
• Sweet Green achieved an average return per tray of $7.66 and an average return per hectare of $43,550.
According to the most recent Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey, farmer confidence has inched higher, reaching its second highest reading in the last decade.
From 1 October, new livestock movement restrictions will be introduced in parts of Central Otago dealing with infected possums spreading bovine TB to livestock.
Phoebe Scherer, a technical manager from the Bay of Plenty, has won the 2025 Young Grower of the Year national title.
The Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand (FCANZ) celebrated the best of the best at the 2025 Fencing Industry Awards, providing the opportunity to honour both rising talent and industry stalwarts.
Award-winning boutique cheese company, Cranky Goat Ltd has gone into voluntary liquidation.
As an independent review of the National Pest Management Plan for TB finds the goal of complete eradication by 2055 is still valide, feedback is being sought on how to finish the job.
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