Some New Zealand apple growers are choosing to leave fruit on trees this season, a clear indicator of the challenges facing the country’s apple export industry amidst a volatile global market. This selective approach highlights the complex economics of horticulture, where export standards and uncertain returns can make harvesting certain varieties financially unviable.
Contents
Key Takeaways:
- Some apple blocks in New Zealand’s Teviot Valley remain unpicked this season.
- Growers cite the risk of low returns from volatile overseas markets as the primary reason.
- Export market demand is shifting, favoring smaller, lower-priced fruit over premium varieties.
- Stringent color and quality standards for export also mean some fruit doesn’t make the cut.
- Selling export-grade fruit locally is difficult due to a strong domestic supply.
Why Apples Are Staying on Trees
While images of unpicked orchards might suggest a poor harvest overall, the reality is more nuanced. Growers are making strategic decisions based on the potential return from specific markets for particular apple varieties and sizes.
Rows of unpicked red apples in an Ettrick, NZ orchard, highlighting the challenges facing New Zealand apple growers and the export market.
Stephen Darling, who manages a prominent orchard block in Ettrick, explained that leaving a highly visible section unpicked was a business decision. The risk of the large, late-season red varieties on that block fetching little to no return from foreign buyers wasn’t worth the cost of picking, packing, and transport.
“It is just one part of our overall orchard — but a very visible part, so it’s attracted a bit of attention, unfortunately,” Darling noted, emphasizing that other parts of his orchard had a much more positive season, particularly with smaller apples suited for overseas supermarkets where consumers are tightening their belts. The demand for higher-priced, gift-type fruit has been harder to secure.
Export Standards and Color Hurdles
Further south in Roxburgh, at Dumbarton Orchard, manager John McKinnel also reported leaving some apples on trees. His challenge was not primarily market price for a variety, but color standards for export. Hundreds of bins of Braeburn apples were left unpicked because they didn’t meet the required redness for overseas consumers.
McKinnel, with decades of experience, views this as a regular part of the export process for certain varieties like Braeburn, which can be difficult to get uniform color on. He estimates 200 to 300 bins of too-pale Braeburns were left behind, even though over 500 bins did meet the export grade. Despite the logistical necessity, he admitted it remains tough for a grower to see fruit unused.
The Challenge of Local Sales
Both growers pointed out that simply selling export-grade fruit that doesn’t make it overseas on the local New Zealand market is not a straightforward alternative.
New Zealand already has a very successful apple growing industry, and this year saw prospects for a record crop. The domestic market has ample supply, making it difficult to offload significant volumes of fruit originally intended for export. McKinnel added that he couldn’t even sell his leftover Braeburns for juice this year.
Implications for the Industry
The sight of unpicked apples underscores the vulnerability of export-reliant agricultural sectors to shifts in global demand, economic conditions, and stringent international quality standards. It highlights the tight margins growers operate under, where the cost of getting fruit to market must be guaranteed by a sufficient return. While the overall season might be good for specific segments or varieties, the volatility means growers must be increasingly selective and strategic about what they harvest and where it’s destined.
For more insights into challenges facing New Zealand’s primary industries and export markets, explore our related articles.
