In New Zealand, feijoa growers are facing difficulties this season due to a significant drop in prices, prompting a call for consumer support to enhance returns. The New Zealand Feijoa Growers Association highlighted that Gisborne's growers, who typically benefit from early harvesting and thus higher prices, are experiencing a synchronized harvest with the rest of the country, leading to a $1 per kilogram decrease in the price received by growers. According to a spokesperson, this price reduction is impacting the profitability of the season for growers.
Brent Fuller, a feijoa grower near Napier, reported that he is barely covering costs three weeks into the harvest, attributing the quick tapering off of profits to the abrupt market fluctuation experienced this year. Despite the challenges, including a total crop loss during Cyclone Gabrielle last year, Fuller emphasized the importance of consumer purchases to stabilize the market and improve returns for growers. He also noted the high costs of labor, orchard maintenance, and irrigation permits as significant challenges, particularly highlighting the equal cost of irrigation permits for both large multinational corporations and small family businesses as a deterrent for smaller growers.
Source: rnz.co.nz