Have you noticed that New Zealand kiwi fruits are not on sale in supermarkets recently? Yes, New Zealand kiwi fruits are not sold during the winter in Japan. However, New Zealand is now in autumn, and the kiwi fruit harvest has begun. In mid-March, the first kiwi fruits of the season were shipped to Japan and Korea!
Exports are on the rise
The kiwi fruits were loaded onto a new refrigerated large ship, which Fresh Carriers has teamed up with Zespri to transport them from New Zealand to Asia. A Japanese company is also involved in the construction of this ship.
Haere rā, Kakariki! Our first charter reefer vessel of the season is on its way to Japan and Korea to deliver new season Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit.
— Zespri International (@ZespriCorporate) March 17, 2021
Read more here 👉 https://t.co/znoeAuiI9r pic.twitter.com/rZMQHfgcCk
Zespri is a New Zealand company created just for kiwifruit, and currently has local subsidiaries in over 50 countries around the world.
According to Zespri's head of global supply chain, 57 shipments are planned for this year, up from 49 last year, with five to Northern Europe, 12 to the Mediterranean and 40 to Asia, and the amount of kiwifruit to be shipped will be about 700,000 tonnes, which will be New Zealand's largest Zespri kiwifruit harvest to date.
Fruit harvesting difficult due to COVID-19 pandemic
New Zealand has relied on workers from overseas for much of its fruit harvest. Many young people staying in the country on working holidays also take on short-term part-time work picking fruit.
In New Zealand, where borders have been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, securing manpower for harvesting has been a major challenge. This shipment is the result of the extraordinary efforts of kiwifruit farmers.
Zespri has strict standards in place to grow delicious, high-quality fruit, and has commented that it will further strengthen hygiene measures to deliver safe, fresh kiwifruit to the world.
By the way, Japan is apparently one of the top sales countries for Zespri among the countries to which it exports.
Are Kiwi Brothers popular?
Kiwifruit imports to Japan are increasing year by year, and the amount has more than doubled compared to 20 years ago. Currently, Zespri kiwifruit accounts for more than 75% of the kiwifruit market share.
In recent years, Zespri Japan's mascots, the "Kiwi Brothers," have become increasingly popular and are making a major contribution to the spread of kiwi fruit in Japan. Two years ago, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern met the mascots when she visited Japan.
Jacinda Ardern met the Kiwi brothers in Japan! Posted by Japanese Studies Aotearoa New Zealand on Thursday, September 19, 2019
Through commercials, the high nutritional value of kiwi fruit has been spread to many people. It has the highest vitamin C of any fruit, and is also rich in dietary fiber. Another reason for its popularity is that it comes in two varieties: the sour Green Kiwi and the sweet Sun Gold.
The kiwi fruit shipped this time is scheduled to arrive in Japan in early April, and will start appearing in supermarkets one after another.
Our season is almost here...
— Zespri Kiwi Official (@zespri_jp) April 2, 2021
I'll be seeing you all soon!
I'm really looking forward to it, so I'll work hard to ripen it so it gets sweeter 💪 pic.twitter.com/DnYHbfuVB1
