The New Zealand apple harvest is well underway, and growing conditions in Nelson have been good.
"We had a mixed summer and while the average temperature was slightly above average, we also had higher than average rainfall. However, February and March have been relatively dry," explains Brendon Osborn, General Manager - Sales & Marketing at Heartland Fruit NZ. "This has led to very good quality apples with few defects, so we have been getting above average packouts. We also experienced cooler nights than average in February and March which has also resulted in higher colour than normal."
The harvest timings have varied by variety, with Smitten and Gala being slightly earlier than normal, while Ambrosia was the same timing as last year. Braeburn and Eve look like they will be slightly earlier than last year. "One positive we have seen is that fruit maturity is not moving fast, and therefore we are seeing good consistent maturity coming into the packhouse from the orchard bins," said Brendon.
© Heartland Fruit
"On the varieties that are ahead of last year in maturity, the fruit sizing is about ½ a size count ahead of last year, while the varieties that are the same time as last year are about one full size count larger than last year. It is simply that the longer the fruit has been on the tree, the more it has grown. Of our two main varieties harvested to date it looks like Royal Gala will peak around 110, while Ambrosia will peak around 90. Ideally, the Royal Gala is slightly smaller than we would like, and the Ambrosia is slightly bigger, however, both are in a good size band given our customer demand. The brix for both is looking good, acceptable, and slightly ahead of last year, while the fruit finish on all varieties is outstanding."
The main varieties grown by Heartland Fruit are Ambrosia, eve™, Royal Gala, and Smitten™, which will make up 85% of the total volume in 2025. Their Luv'ya branded apples are supplied to 30 customers in 15 different countries around the world – with many of these customers having a partnership with Heartland for 20+ years. Asia is the biggest market, followed by New Zealand, the UK, Europe, and North America.
© Heartland Fruit
"The bulk of our production is grown for specific customers and markets, as by having a small grower base we can target specific blocks to specific customers and markets. This customer-focused production has been a core focus of Heartland from the beginning. With the growth in Ambrosia volumes in recent years, we have had an increased volume go to Asian markets and mainly due to the increased cost of freight and a decrease in shipments to UK & European markets."
At Asia Fruit Logisitca last year, Heartland was showcasing the Evercrisp variety as part of a partnership. Brendon said this was very successful. "This is an outstanding apple with very high brix and an explosion of juice and tropical fruit flavour with every bite. This year, the volumes will double over what we produced in 2024. Introducing consumers to EverCrisp will be a key focus for us with our main customers in Asia and New Zealand. EverCrisp is harvested in late April, and we plan for the first arrivals with customers in June and July."
For more information:
Brendon Osborn
Heartland Fruit NZ
Tel: +64 21 544893
Brendon@luvyafruit.com
www.luvya.co.nz