Gold kiwifruit production on the rise in New Zealand

In the latest statistics published by New Zealand’s Government Statistics office, it has emerged that gold varieties of kiwi are increasingly replacing green. There have also been increases in production of apples and avocados. The overall planted area for kiwifruit increased to 11,700 hectares in 2017, a 7% increase from 2014. While the total canopy area of kiwifruit increased, the area of green kiwifruit fell 4% over the same period. The reason for the change is the increase in demand for gold varieties. Indeed, the ratio of green to gold kiwifruit has steadily changed over the period. In 2007, green kiwifruit accounted for 80% of the planted area in the Bay of Plenty region (which accounts for 77% of the country’s overall kiwifruit planting). By 2017, this proportion had fallen to 62%. Elsewhere, the planted area for both apples and avocados increased 2% between 2014 and 2017.