New Zealand: Fresh Deciduous Fruit Semi-annual
Post forecasts 2016/2017 apple production at 574,000 MT, a 4.6 percent increase compared to 2015/2016. The combination of an expanded harvest area, excellent growing conditions, and the 2016/2017 growing season being a biennial bearing “on” year is making for a large potential crop. Post revises 2016/2017 pear production to 13,200 MT, representing a five percent reduction. Post estimates 2016/2017 apple exports at 385,500 MT, representing a six percent increase from Post’s original forecast. This increase is due to a significantly higher proportion of harvested fruit meeting export grade. This is an 11 percent increase over 2015/2016 and if actualized will surpass New Zealand’s record apple exports of 358,327 MT in 2004.
