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BusinessDesk: Zespri almost triples annual profit on record crop, falling Psa costs

Rural News
BusinessDesk: Zespri almost triples annual profit on record crop, falling Psa costs

Zespri International, which controls exports of New Zealand kiwifruit, almost tripled annual profit reflecting a record crop and costs in the year-earlier period to help the industry recover from the Psa vine bacteria.

Profit rose to $20.5 million in the 12 months ended March 31, from $7.3 million a year earlier, as it lifted global kiwifruit sales 7 percent to $1.62 billion, the Mt Maunganui-based company said in a statement.

Zespri's increased sales were due to a record volume crop of 116.5 million trays, and came as the marketing firm faced falling costs from funding the industry's response to the Pseudomona Syringae pv actinidiae bacteria.

"Ongoing global economic uncertainty, rising costs and a volatile dollar are providing significant headwinds for Zespri," chairman John Loughlin said. "It is in these difficult times that the united structure of the New Zealand kiwifruit industry really proves its worth."

New Zealand's kiwifruit industry came under pressure after the Psa bacteria was discovered in 2010, infecting more than 40 percent of the nation's kiwifruit hectares. Earlier this year Zespri launched a recovery plan it hopes will produce a strain of gold kiwifruit that resists the bacteria.

Loughlin said Psa will continue to result in smaller gold kiwifruit crops in the 2013/14 year, and Zespri has already stripped out $10 million in corporate costs to account for the lower volume.

"In 2014/15 we expect to see gold volumes recover as the Psa-recovery pathway centred around the Zespri variety of Gold3 begins to take effect," he said.

The marketer expects to pay between $6.80 and $7.30 a tray for green kiwifruit in the 2012/13 season from $7.10 this season, $8.45 to $8.95 for organic green compared to $8.82, between $10.50 and $11.50 for green14, which wasn't available this season, and between $13.70 and $14.20 for gold compared to $11.91.

The higher forecast range for gold varieties is due to the expected lower volumes, Zespri said.

(BusinessDesk)

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3 Comments

One rule for kiwifruit , one rule for dairy.

Zespri International, which controls exports of New Zealand kiwifruit. Compare to DIRA which requires Fonterra to sell milk to it's competitors, so competition can export that milk and compete with Fonterra on those export markets.

 

It is in these difficult times that the united structure of the New Zealand kiwifruit industry really proves its worth Funny the govt is hellbent on taking the 'united structure' out of the dairy industry in the name of 'having a competitive industry'.

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Positive news for kiwifruit growers, but true CO, a question of ethics and governance, why the difference in judgement and regulation? Instead of TAF, why don't our board lobby the government on such nonsence. Cooperative industry is a hallmark of developed economies, as can be seen with Zespri. So what is our government on, and/or who is pulling their strings, in colluding with dairy industry leadership in undermining the cooperative structure of Fonterra?

Loughlin has been on the Fonterra candidate assessment panel for board of director elections for years. Basically suggesting to suppliers who to vote for, possibly with a little help from a certain incumbent! 

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Using the words cooperative and zespri in the same sentence is a bit of mistake. Remember they're talking zespri profit here not return to growers. How hard can it be to make a profit when the growers are forced to sell to your company.

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