Zespri Operations Manager: Kiwifruit New Cultivar Development, Bryan Parkes, said that Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit has been the cornerstone of the industry’s Psa recovery, with volumes growing strongly to great reception from customers and consumers around the world. “Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit has been a fantastic commercial success, built on sustained innovation excellence. SunGold was developed in the Zespri-Plant & Food Research new cultivar breeding programme, with the support of the NZ government, and it’s been a real game-changer for the industry. It has a high yield on-orchard, tolerates Psa, handles and stores well through the supply chain and its sweet, juicy taste and its high levels of Vitamin C make it a hit in the markets.”

The success of SunGold is critical to Zespri achieving its goal of more than doubling sales revenue to $4.5 billion by 2025. SunGold has created around 6,800 jobs so far and is on track to account for a total of at least 14,000 extra jobs by 2025. It has had a great reception around the world, driving up demand, earning premium prices and generating value for kiwifruit growers.

With such strong positive feedback from the markets, Zespri has allocated another 400 hectares of SunGold licence this year and provision for another 400 hectares each year for the next three years. There are around 5,300 licenced hectares of SunGold in NZ and around another 3000ha licenced around the world to provide twelve-month supply to Zespri customers and keep a year-round presence on shop shelves.

“Together Zespri, Plant & Food Research and the government invest around $20 million a year in the breeding programme which has been running since the 1980s, making it one of the largest new cultivar breeding programmes in the world,” Parkes said.