News: 14 July 08
Sumptuous summerfruits to create luscious apricots for European niche
A new HortResearch project aims to develop a particularly special and luscious apricot to fill a six-week gap in the European and Australian markets potentially worth $15 million a year.
The Foundation![[definition]](/sites/all/themes/frsttheme/images/glossary-icon.png "The Foundation for Research, Science and Technology is a Crown entity governed by a Board appointed by the Minister of Research, Science and Technology.
We were established under the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology Act 1990. Under the Act the Foundation’s principle purposes are: to allocate funds for the production of outputs relating to public good science and technology; to allocate funds pursuant to ministerial schemes; and to provide independent policy advice to the Minister of Research, Science and Technology on matters related to research, science and technology, including advice on national priorities for those matters.
We invest close to $500 million a year in science and technology research on behalf of the New Zealand Government, seeking benefits to New Zealand’s economy, environment and society.")
for Research, Science and Technology has approved a five-year, $4 million investment in the “Sumptuous Summerfruit” research proposal put forward by HortResearch.
It is one of the 96 contestable research projects announced today in the Foundation’s main 2008 Investment Round.
It continues a Foundation-funded programme to breed supersweet summerfruit for the Asian market that has produced promising results.
Foundation chief executive Murray Bain says Sumptuous Summerfruit has the very specific target of developing a new export market for apricots in the Northern Hemisphere, to provide a major growth opportunity for the summerfruit industry.
“Feedback from the markets in Europe and Australia has identified a five to six-week market gap for fresh apricots in March and April each year,” he said. “New Zealand is in the best position to fill this gap because of its relatively late harvest season compared with its competitors.”
The current apricot cultivars, however, do not mature late enough and do not store for long enough to provide the eating experience of tree-ripe fruit of high and consistent quality demanded by the consumer.
“To achieve this goal, we need significant new science and a considerable step-up in developing targets around post-harvest and sensory science,” Murray Bain said. “That’s what the Sumptuous Summerfruit project is all about.”
The industry predicts exports of apricots could be increased from the current $9 million a year to $24 million a year in 2018 by targeting the six-week gap, providing an opportunity that only New Zealand production can fill. There are also opportunities to secure high prices for late season fruit in Australia.
“This cheeky opportunity will be built on New Zealand’s reputation for supplying the markets with high quality fruit with high aroma, taste and texture profiles that provide the eating experience of tree-ripe fruit. This would represent a substantial step change from the current cultivars,” Murray Bain said.
Summerfruit makes a significant contribution to New Zealand’s $2.5 billion horticultural export industry. With key plantings in Hawkes Bay and Central Otago, the summerfruit industry is worth over $80 million a year, of which about $17.5 million is export value from niche markets the industry wants to develop further with innovative new products.
The industry has a strong record of research investment, with 40 per cent of the grower levy currently committed to this purpose.
HortResearch’s Summerfruit Breeding Programme Manager, Mike Malone says the science this investment supports has always remained closely linked to outcomes that will be of direct benefit to growers.
“The breeding programme has been developed jointly with the summerfruit industry through Summerfruit New Zealand to ensure it meets their future needs.
“HortResearch has a strong relationship with Summerfruit New Zealand and is involved with other research ventures to enhance the viability and long-term welfare of the industry – in particular the ongoing development of the SummerGreen™ programme, which has a strong focus on environmental integrity and sustainability in summerfruit production.”
Mr Malone says the new research programme will continue to reflect real world needs, and focus on allowing the New Zealand industry to achieve tangible financial outcomes.
“New Zealand summerfruit is highly regarded in global markets. There exists huge opportunity to leverage that reputation, adding new and improved cultivars to our product offering will allow us to capture significant premiums in high value markets.
“This programme will deliver the world’s best late season apricot, the perfect compliment to other stunning summerfruit already being produced in New Zealand.”
The Foundation
for Research, Science and Technology has approved a five-year, $4 million investment in the “Sumptuous Summerfruit” research proposal put forward by HortResearch.It is one of the 96 contestable research projects announced today in the Foundation’s main 2008 Investment Round.
It continues a Foundation-funded programme to breed supersweet summerfruit for the Asian market that has produced promising results.
Foundation chief executive Murray Bain says Sumptuous Summerfruit has the very specific target of developing a new export market for apricots in the Northern Hemisphere, to provide a major growth opportunity for the summerfruit industry.
“Feedback from the markets in Europe and Australia has identified a five to six-week market gap for fresh apricots in March and April each year,” he said. “New Zealand is in the best position to fill this gap because of its relatively late harvest season compared with its competitors.”
The current apricot cultivars, however, do not mature late enough and do not store for long enough to provide the eating experience of tree-ripe fruit of high and consistent quality demanded by the consumer.
“To achieve this goal, we need significant new science and a considerable step-up in developing targets around post-harvest and sensory science,” Murray Bain said. “That’s what the Sumptuous Summerfruit project is all about.”
The industry predicts exports of apricots could be increased from the current $9 million a year to $24 million a year in 2018 by targeting the six-week gap, providing an opportunity that only New Zealand production can fill. There are also opportunities to secure high prices for late season fruit in Australia.
“This cheeky opportunity will be built on New Zealand’s reputation for supplying the markets with high quality fruit with high aroma, taste and texture profiles that provide the eating experience of tree-ripe fruit. This would represent a substantial step change from the current cultivars,” Murray Bain said.
Summerfruit makes a significant contribution to New Zealand’s $2.5 billion horticultural export industry. With key plantings in Hawkes Bay and Central Otago, the summerfruit industry is worth over $80 million a year, of which about $17.5 million is export value from niche markets the industry wants to develop further with innovative new products.
The industry has a strong record of research investment, with 40 per cent of the grower levy currently committed to this purpose.
HortResearch’s Summerfruit Breeding Programme Manager, Mike Malone says the science this investment supports has always remained closely linked to outcomes that will be of direct benefit to growers.
“The breeding programme has been developed jointly with the summerfruit industry through Summerfruit New Zealand to ensure it meets their future needs.
“HortResearch has a strong relationship with Summerfruit New Zealand and is involved with other research ventures to enhance the viability and long-term welfare of the industry – in particular the ongoing development of the SummerGreen™ programme, which has a strong focus on environmental integrity and sustainability in summerfruit production.”
Mr Malone says the new research programme will continue to reflect real world needs, and focus on allowing the New Zealand industry to achieve tangible financial outcomes.
“New Zealand summerfruit is highly regarded in global markets. There exists huge opportunity to leverage that reputation, adding new and improved cultivars to our product offering will allow us to capture significant premiums in high value markets.
“This programme will deliver the world’s best late season apricot, the perfect compliment to other stunning summerfruit already being produced in New Zealand.”