The apple variety, PremA129, which will be marketed and known as ‘Dazzle’, is expected to be one of the biggest apple variety launches since Royal Gala, decades ago. Fruitcraft says that all New Zealand apple growers will be able to grow Dazzle, and all fruit exporters will be able to sell it.

Dazzle is a large, red, sweet apple, which has taken twenty years to develop by Plant & Food Research (PFR) at its research station in Havelock North.

Fruitcraft manager, Steve Potbury, says this is an exciting opportunity for New Zealand apple growers and others around the world. “Dazzle is targeted towards the growing Asian markets. It has all the qualities, which appeal to Asian consumers. It is a big, highly coloured and very sweet apple.

“We want to work with all growers to ensure they can grow and market it through their preferred exporter. This is a collaborative approach, which gives growers the chance to be involved from the orchards to the markets,” he adds.

Over 100,000 trees have already been planted by growers in New Zealand, including Mr Plant & Food Research scientist, Richard Volz, says Dazzle has been bred conventionally, through cross breeding between ‘Sweetie’ and ‘Scired’ by plant breeders at Havelock North in 1997. “The parents and grandparents of the PremA129 variety all come from New Zealand. This has taken decades of work and investment by scientists at Plant and Food Research and the New Zealand pipfruit industry to develop a truly New Zealand apple with strong kiwi heritage.”

Pipfruit New Zealand Chief Executive, Alan Pollard, says this is another reflection of the sophistication and strength of an industry where growers, exporters and breeders are all working together to deliver high quality products to customers both in New Zealand and around the world.

Apple, Bostock New Zealand and Freshmax, and nurseries are busy preparing rootstocks to meet grower demand for orders in the New Year.

Fruitcraft is forecasting 1 million cartons of the Dazzle apple will be exported from New Zealand by 2028. If it reaches those numbers, it would become one of the country’s most popular apple varieties.

Further production around the world is planned, and Fruitcraft says it will be looking to license growers and marketers in the main apple growing countries in the next year or two.

Source: Fruitcraft