Zespri 2025/26 Season Initial Guidance Forecasts Strong Returns For Growers

Zespri has released its first guidance to growers for the 2025/26 season outlining strong OGR per tray and per hectare ranges.

The kiwifruit marketer releases preliminary forecast guidance when early season fruit is still arriving in market, with this refined as more information becomes available throughout the season on fruit and market performance.

Zespri CEO Jason Te Brake says positive early season conditions have supported a strong start to this season’s harvest with a total crop of more than 205 million trays, or 738,000 tonnes, now expected.

“Our industry has packed more fruit at this time of the season than ever before and our first charter vessels have departed successfully, which is important as we look to get off to a fast start and return strong value back to our growers.

“Our initial guidance also anticipates improvements in our fruit size and foreign exchange positions this season, with downside risks considered including provision for quality costs should fruit quality deteriorate, softer market conditions and reduced trade stemming from ongoing global geopolitical uncertainty.

“The feedback we’ve received from customers across Europe, China and North America over recent weeks is that there’s strong demand for Zespri Kiwifruit, and our teams are looking forward to selling this season’s fruit as more arrives in market in the coming weeks.

Mr Te Brake noted that the Zespri Board has approved the commercial production of 170 hectares of RubyRed Kiwifruit in Italy over the next two years, supporting efforts to continue to strengthen the Zespri brand through the availability of a red variety in Europe as part of Zespri’s 12 month supply strategy.

“It’s an exciting time for Zespri RubyRed Kiwifruit, with nearly all of our 3 million trays of New Zealand-grown fruit now packed, with its berry-like taste available in a number of new markets this season, including the United States.

“Growing RubyRed Kiwifruit in Italy will support efforts to deliver on Zespri’s 12 month supply strategy, help us build our brand and maintain shelf space and retail partnerships to support New Zealand grower returns, particularly given the increasingly competitive red category,” Mr Te Brake says.

The commercialisation of RubyRed Kiwifruit in Italy is covered by Zespri’s existing approval to plant up to 1,000 ha of new variety offshore as approved by growers via producer vote in 2019. This is the first time Zespri has used this allocation.

2025/26 Indicative Guidance Range

* NB: Zespri RubyRed Kiwifruit forecast 2024/25 per hectare returns have been influenced by a high proportion of productive hectares returning low yields impacted by vine age. 280 hectares producing for 2 years or less have returned an average yield of 3,674 trays per hectare and a forecast per hectare return of $61,208 per hectare. 47 hectares producing for greater than 2 years have returned an average yield of 6,349 trays per hectare and a forecast per hectare return of $105,782 per hectare. 25 hectares with mixed aged vines (with vine age of both 2 years or less and more than 2 years) have returned an average yield of 7,148 trays per hectare and a forecast per hectare return of $119,088 per hectare.

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