The Northern Hemisphere season is about to become intensive and challenging. The Oscar® Greece kiwifruit campaign ended on a positive note with strong support for targeted country marketing actions. Primland expects to finish marketing its French kiwifruit towards the end of May with excellent shelf life and taste.
The kiwifruit specialist is now setting its sights on the south and is already busy marketing its off-season fruit: its Oscar Chile kiwifruit and its yellow-fleshed Oscar Gold kiwifruit grown in South Africa.
Slightly increased volumes for the latter have already been commercialised for several weeks. They provide continuity in sales following the end of the Northern Hemisphere yellow kiwi season. The partnership forged with South African producers over the last few years has allowed us to reinforce both the volumes and the quality of this product.
The company should distribute 45,000 trays of Oscar Gold from South Africa. Meanwhile, the Oscar Green kiwifruit from Chile are steadily reaching maturity on the trees to achieve an excellent organoleptic properties and an optimal preservation throughout the season.
Findings are encouraging. The Oscar Chile kiwifruit presents a very good average size (around 100 grams). Conducive production conditions resulted in solid fruit quality. Indeed, plants enjoyed good irrigation conditions. While water availability remains a recurring threat to global agriculture, it was not a major issue this season.
Primland has every reason to be optimistic, despite a predicted drop in Chilean production volumes of around 15%. Northern Hemisphere kiwifruit volumes are expected to close earlier than in 2022, thus giving way to Chilean provenance. Furthermore, the impact of the logistical disruption caused by the health crisis is gradually wearing off. A return to normal maritime traffic, essential for this provenance, can now be expected.
A range that continues to grow
Primland will market its traditional Oscar Hayward variety, both in conventional and organic varieties. As for the Chilean Oscar Gold kiwifruit plantations, they will be released on the market in the coming years, as the trees are developing harmoniously.
Oscar Kiwi continues to be a proactive communications player (social networks, influencer partnerships, etc.) to support its brand awareness. Dedicated programmes are planned in Latin America and Asia to promote the brand in points of sale.
