This article is published in the March 2022 Kiwiflier.

In March, Zespri Global Supply (ZGS) started consulting with New Zealand growers on Zespri's 12-month supply strategy. This included virtual grower roadshows, supply entity meetings and several grower meetings where Chief Global Supply Officer, Alastair Hulbert, and Strategic Projects Manager - Northern Hemisphere Supply, Nikki Johnson, discussed the strategy and potential ZGS expansion.

The demand-led 12-month supply strategy has been established to better understand the volume of fruit required from our Northern Hemisphere growing locations when New Zealand fruit is not available to achieve 12-month supply. Implementing the strategy, and meeting demand targets in the New Zealand offseason, will require an increase to the current 5,000ha of SunGold Kiwifruit offshore plantings previously approved by the industry.

Thank you to everyone who took part in the constructive discussions held so far. Some key elements of the discussion included management of the cross-over between New Zealand and ZGS fruit, the benefits of 12-month supply to New Zealand growers and ZGS performance. Growers can review information on these aspects and much more on the producer vote website. We welcome further feedback and questions as the consultation process continues.

Zespri is also seeking feedback from industry on how to structure a potential producer vote that would allow the expansion of our offshore plantings in the Northern Hemisphere (except China and Chile) to better complement the New Zealand supply. Several suggestions have been discussed including:

• Holding another producer vote to approve the remaining growth.
• Annual reporting on the plan.
• Stop/go or stage gates to ensure the plan is still appropriate.
• Approval of part of the plan and then another producer vote.

Over the next few weeks, we will be further considering feedback and will decide on the parameters for the Producer Vote most likely to be held in August alongside the AGM.