New Zealand's expenditure on potatoes surpassed $1 billion last year, predominantly on chips and frozen fries, as per the Fresh Facts 2024 report from United Fresh. This report, which annually analyzes eating and exporting trends, highlighted a 13.7 per cent decline in potato production over four years, totaling a reduction of 72,800 tons In the 2023/24 period, processed chips and frozen fries constituted 61.3 per cent of the domestic industry's value.
The document also sheds light on other fresh produce consumption patterns, noting Taiwan's $44 million expenditure on New Zealand cherries and the royal gala's dominance in apple exports at 22 per cent. It reveals the challenges faced by the avocado sector, including a 1.5 million tray reduction in production and a 67 per cent plummet in export value to $20.3 million, attributed to adverse weather and an oversupply of lower-grade fruit domestically.
Despite these challenges, New Zealand's fresh fruit and vegetable exports are projected to hit $4.3 billion in 2024, marking an 8 per cent increase from 2023. The report also delves into the industry's sustainability efforts, noting that while 84 per cent of annual reports mentioned sustainability, only 20 percent specifically referenced the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a mere 2 percent adopting an SDG framework.
Source: Otago Daily Times