YOUR INDUSTRY
Cool mornings and long sunshine hours delivered good colour for Gisborne satsuma mandarins
Good volumes and high colour bode well for citrus season
COVER STORY
Issues with getting fruit to onshore consumers before imported competition arrives, of dealing with delays in shipping to offshore customers, and of course, the industry bugbear of obtaining labour are the major challenges facing citrus growers this year. By Kristine Walsh “But these are not unique to citrus, it's what we're seeing right across the horticultural industry,” says Citrus New Zealand chair, labour and fruit quality portfolio holder, Wayne Hall. “The good news is that they are issues that can mostly be overcome if growers are organised and are planning well ahead.” Good fruit coming off the trees helps too, and Wayne, who is based in Gisborne, says the latest season has seen good quality, great taste and higher volumes across the citrus varieties.
However, competition with imported fruit was felt keenly by Encore mandarin growers who, after starting their harvest in October, found it hard to get decent returns with volumes of good quality, low-seeded fruit arriving from Australia. “So really it comes back to planning. If growers can work closely with their marketers timing-wise they are going to get a better result, particularly after Christmas when those imported volumes may drop off.”
The ORCHARDIST : JULY 2021 15
