Apricot lovers can rejoice as summer just got sweeter: The summerfruit industry is set to launch three new varieties after almost 20 years of development.

More than 20 Central Otago and North Island orchardists are part of a trial, with 50,000 trees spanning 60 hectares planted in the new varieties.

These growers are a combination of long-standing summerfruit producers and newer growers, trialling the varieties under licence and approved as shareholders. Other growers are expected to enter the programme.

NZ Summerfresh Ltd, incorporated in June last year, will transition to a grower cooperative to commercialise the varieties for export and domestic markets, from late summer 2022-2023. 

Chair Stephen Darling said these varieties have the potential to revitalise and relaunch the premium apricot category internationally.

NZ Summerfresh Ltd chair Stephen Darling

“Bred for flavour, colour and sensory characteristics, the apricots are substantially better than nearly every other apricot I know of and could be the best in the world,” Stephen said.

The three new varieties; currently known as NzSummer2, Nzsummer3 and Nzsummer4 are the result of two decades of research and breeding between Plant & Food Research and the industry.

“[They] are intensely sweet with a crisper texture and juicy with a high-colour profile. Two varieties may store longer to achieve a longer selling period and will target export markets. The other variety will target the domestic market.”

The varieties will span a successive season from December to late February. 

Asia, Australia and the United States markets would be targeted initially, Stephen said.

“Australia is an important market because our season complements Australian product well. Our apricots will arrive after local product, therefore extending the season. Consumers in Asia favour apricots with increased sweetness, low acidity and bright colour – all characteristics we can deliver.”

Fruit volumes this summer will be small and full production is expected in a few summers time (2025 - 2027).

Each variety has distinguishing characteristics: Nzsummer2 is mid-size classic sweet fruit, orange with a bright-red blush and harvested in early February; Nzsummer3 is mid-size, reddish, has a gene prolonging storage and harvested in mid-late February; Nzsummer4 is extremely sweet, and harvested for December.

Summerfruit NZ founding director and chair Roger Brownlie said the journey to commercialisation was due to key people on the Summerfruit board in 2001.

“They had the foresight to invest in plant breeding…Plant & Food Research did the breeding, trialling thousands of different crosses. It took until 2013 to get to the point that three reached the elite stage for evaluation,” Roger said. 

“It has taken three CEOs, teams of Plant & Food scientists, industry collaboration and grower efforts. 

“NZ Summerfresh Ltd has facilitated the cooperative, we now step aside for growers to represent the interests of growers and shareholders. The cooperative will give growers the chance to control their destiny and work for a common benefit.”

Next steps involve developing a strategic commercial framework, marketing plan, identifying existing, new and non-traditional export markets, and establishing quality standards.

Roger said there were knowledge gaps to fill s such as conducting freight and storage trials for the new varieties. 

“We are forming a growers’ forum to help with technical information and knowledge transfer.”

Australia, the current primary export market, received 149,230kg of apricots last season according to Summerfruit NZ numbers. This was an increase on the 2019-2020 season when 91,160kg was exported there.

A local orchard’s apricot trees sprouting spring blossom