The new kiwi of golden variety marketing campaign in Spanish is already in full swing, boasting a harvest that is between 5 and 8% larger than the one that came before it as well as an abundance of kiwis of smaller sizes.
According to Carlos Vila, manager of the Galician company Kiwi Atlántico, which is Spain’s main kiwifruit producer, “in the beginning, we thought that the harvest would be smaller this year, but the weather was very favorable during the months of September and October, with mild temperatures that have allowed the fruit to grow larger than expected.”
“As a direct consequence of this, the production is greater than what was anticipated at the outset, despite the fact that the sizes are still relatively modest, particularly in light of the fact that the previous two campaigns produced an abundance of large sizes.
According to him, kiwis, on the whole, have a high brix and a pleasant flavor. In point of fact, they continue to have the title of “national fruit” in China.
They were brought back to New Zealand by Isabel Frasier, a missionary who had been to China, where she had been working, at the turn of the 20th century. This was the first time that they were seen in the western world.
In the 1950s, the fruit’s name was changed for the purpose of export marketing. Initially, it was called melonette, and later, New Zealand exporters changed it to kiwi fruit.
The name “kiwi fruit” comes from the kiwi bird, which is a brown bird without wings that serves as the national symbol of New Zealand and is also a common name for the people who live there.
In general, the vines will begin to produce new leaves in the middle of March, will blossom at the beginning of May, and will produce fruit in November, after the leaves have fallen off the plant.
The majority of the plants are dioecious, which means that individual plants can take on the characteristics of either a male or a female.
Only female plants are capable of producing fruit, and even then, only after being pollinated by a male plant.
The flowers are pollinated by insects for the most part; however, because the flowers do not have a strong appeal to bees, it may be necessary for the home gardener to blow or dust collected pollen over the female flowers.
The vines should be shielded from strong winds because gusts of wind in the spring can rip off new growth at the point where it emerges from the canes.
Plants intended to produce kiwis require a minimum of 240 days without the threat of frost, and they appear to be quite sensitive to sudden temperature drops in the early autumn or the late winter.
They are able to withstand temperatures of approximately -12 degrees Celsius (10 degrees Fahrenheit) when fully dormant; however, they are still susceptible to sudden drops in temperature and must acclimate slowly.
Generally speaking, kiwi fruits do well in the same environments as peaches, almonds, and citrus trees.
The amount of winter chilling that a cultivar requires varies greatly depending on the cultivar, but all of them require some amount of it.
A winter rest of 800 hours of chilling, which is defined as total hours spent at temperatures between 0 and 7 degrees Celsius (32 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit), is recommended for the most successful growth of the most common cultivar, Hayward.
The soil should have an acidic pH between 5 and 6.5, a high concentration of organic matter, and not be overly salty.
If the soil is too alkaline, the plant’s leaves will show signs of nitrogen deficiency.
Plants that produce kiwi fruit require large amounts of water throughout the entire growing season, but the soil in which they are grown must also have good drainage.
The heat of summer makes it absolutely necessary to water plants on a consistent basis. Never subject a plant to the drought stress that can kill it.
The symptoms of drought stress include drooping leaves, browning of the leaves around the edges, and complete defoliation followed by the growth of new shoots when the stress is continuous.
It’s likely that problems with watering cause the death of more plants than any other factor.
In the beginning of the growing season, the Vines have a high demand for nitrogen, so it is important to apply a fertilizer that is high in nitrogen.
It is important to avoid using too much nitrogen in the late season because doing so may result in the fruit not storing well. Around the month of March is a good time to begin early fertilization with an avocado tree fertilizer and to ensure that the tree receives plenty of water.
The next round of fertilization can be done in the spring or early summer. Mulching is also recommended, and the best materials for mulching are manure and straw; however, the mulch should not come into direct contact with the vine.
In comparison to the previous year’s campaign, Carlos Vila claims that this one has prices that are a little bit higher as a result of the increased cost of the materials used in the packaging as well as the transportation.
Also, consumption in the Spanish market, which is this company’s primary destination for its kiwis, has remained stable in spite of the fact that Italy has had a lower production this year.
And despite Greece’s ongoing economic expansion, the country will not be able to make up the difference in market share that Italian kiwis have left behind. Despite this, an increase in demand is anticipated after the holiday celebrations, as it traditionally occurs at this time every year.
Although it has leveled off in the region of Valencia, the total acreage in Spain that is devoted to the cultivation of kiwifruit is continuing to expand at a slow but steady rate year after year in Galicia, Asturias, and Catalonia. Before the start of the new year, Kiwi Atlántico plans to increase the total land area by 45 hectares.
“The area planted with kiwis is increasing step by step and in a controlled way, since the fruit requires very special conditions, with light soils and no strong frosts or winds. This is why the area planted with kiwis is gradually growing.” In addition, it is important to keep in mind that it requires an investment of roughly 50,000 Euros per hectare, as Carlos Vila explains.
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