Identity card
Originally from China (Yangzi Jiang valley), the tasty Chinese gooseberry emigrated to New Zealand, where it adopted the name of ‘kiwifruit’ or ‘kiwi’ (the bird and emblem of the country) before conquering the world. Full of vitamin C and many other vitamins and known for its anti-oxidant virtues, the kiwi (actinidia chinensis, actinidiaceae) was frequently consumed by infantry soldiers in the First World War. It now holds an important place in our diet and gastronomy.
The Hayward variety is the most widely known variety, with a green kiwi easily recognized by its oblong shape and furry skin. New Zealand producers have developed it under the Zespri Green trademark, along with a more recent variety known as Zespri Gold, which has a pale, not very furry skin and a yellow pulp that is as sweet and juicy as you could want.
Production and consumption
The kiwi is harvested in winter, from November to May for the northern hemisphere, which is home to the world’s largest producer, Italy (440 000 tons). New Zealand ranks as the world’s second largest producer with 390 000 tons, but it is the world’s largest exporter. From planting to distribution, the Zespri producers work in a spirit of total sustainable development. In France, the kiwi plantations have found a perfect base in the West and the South-West, in regions with mild oceanic climates and rich soil.
Kiwi production requires a male tree near to about three female trees to guarantee pollination. However, the fertility is amazing! The fruit are numerous and a tough selection is necessary to guarantee the quality of the shoots over the long term. A Label Rouge-certified “Kiwi de l’Adour” and a European logo have rewarded the efforts of producers based at the foot of the Pyrenees since the 1960s. France produces about 75 000 tons of kiwis a year. (source: Zespri, CTIFL, CR Aquitaine)
At Rungis Market
Mr Grégoire Desmarescaux, Product Manager and salesman for Terragaïa:
“The kiwis that we currently sell come from the southern hemisphere, like Chile and especially New Zealand. We have a contract with Zespri, the company of the New Zealand producers owning all the country’s production, which exports throughout the world according to very precise specifications in terms of harvest, transport and sale price. As the ship takes three weeks to do the trip, the fruit are stored on board at 0°C as in the warehouses in Zeebrugge (Belgium). Their kiwis are expensive but these products are really top-of-the-line, sorted and graded. We sell 60% to the major retail brands and the remainder to wholesalers. What I enjoy is eating a kiwi in the morning, cut in two, with no sugar, using a spoon. The best!”
Pascal Blain
