The 2024 persimmon harvest has started at First Fresh with the early Fuyu variety which is sold on the domestic market.
First volumes will be on the market this week and the first export will be in the last week of April.
“Persimmons are starting at the usual time this year,” said the company’s sales and marketing director Grant Walsh.
“We normally say Anzac Day is the start of persimmons for us in Gisborne.
“Over the previous two seasons the well- publicised excessive rainfall that we have had definitely affected the persimmons’ inherent storability and shelf life.
“(It was) not so much the cosmetic quality as we produced beautiful looking and tasting fruit as always, but the keeping quality of the fruit was affected,” he said.
“No doubt it was reduced due to the lower dry matter of the fruit from all that rain.”
This year has been a normal summer and growing season for persimmons and Mr Walsh said First Fresh was looking forward to this season.
“But we will remain alert to any follow-on effects from the last two years.
“Right now, quality looks good with increased brix levels so we are hopeful of a good season.”
First Fresh exclusively sources its persimmons from its home region of Tairāwhiti, with approximately 80 hectares across 15 growers.
“These are well-established growers who know how to grow a great piece of fruit.
“Our volume should be around 1800MT split 50/50 across export and domestic markets.”
First Fresh’s biggest export market remains Australia, followed by Thailand, Vietnam, Canada, Mainland China and then the rest of South East Asia.
“We have seen an increasing volume of airfreight to export markets as customers look to get more regular, lower volume arrivals,” Mr Walsh said.
“This has helped keep pricing and quality at higher levels.
“We also use sea freight through the main part of the season to move volume and support promotions.”
The New Zealand domestic market was an increasing value market for them, “as we increase the awareness of the fruit to everyday Kiwis”.
“We have a full social media campaign supporting our domestic market again this year with Persi the Persimmon featuring in a number of ways to continue the awareness of the availability and uses of fresh persimmons.
“We also recently announced our new partnership with Gisborne born and bred and New Zealand rugby star Renee Holmes.”
Renee will be the First Fresh brand ambassador.
“Renee will be involved in the persimmon social media campaign to continue the increased awareness of the availability and benefits of the fruit.”
