Marlborough cherry growers are tapping into the lucrative Japanese market for the first time in nearly a decade.
Trade there has stalled in recent years as cherries had to be fumigated with methyl bromide, which spoiled the fruit.
That process has been stopped and cherry grower Bernie Rowe says that’s opened up a market offering impressive returns.
"When they started talking about getting in there they promised better prices.
"We've been going to Asia for decades, so when they went through this process, it was a limited amount of fruit but high prices and we just had to have good quality fruit."
The fumigation was to protect against the codling moth.
Bernie Rowe says now that’s ended, growers have to be vigilant in controlling the moth themselves.
"Japan's main concern is codling moths and from the insects side of it we just entered a trap and if there were too many codling moths in the trees or the traps we would be cut out of exporting to Japan."
Bernie Rowe exports a third of his crop to Asia, but says Japan could become one of his biggest markets.
SOUTHERN GROWERS UP PRODUCTION
Further south, Central Otago cherry growers are enjoying a bumper season and picking exports could double as a result.
Summerfruit New Zealand chairman Gary Bennetts says warm weather and extra trees means the season’s crop could get as high as 3000 tonnes.
"There’s been a lot more trees planted over the year and it’s just a matter of those trees coming into production and the good weather meant we had a good fruit set."
But the outlook isn’t as rosy for the region’s apricot growers.
The turbulent spring which brought storms to Southland brought heavy frosts to Central Otago.
Gary Bennetts says the intense cold came during the crucial pollination period, which cut swathes into fruit volumes.
"Through Central Otago there are areas that blossom at different times and some areas got caught up in those very cold southerly conditions that took away a lot of the farmers' lambs in Southland.
"At that time the fruit was in blossom and consequently did not pollinate because conditions were too cold for pollination."
The first apricots of the season will be harvested later this month.
