New Zealand: Fresh Deciduous Fruit Annual

The same problems that beset apple production in 2020/2021, especially harvest labor shortages, could persist into 2021/2022. This is expected to constrain production increases, with 2021/22 production forecast at 578,000 metric tons (MT). Although this is five percent up on the 2020/2021 crop, primarily because of expanded harvested area, it still remains substantially below the record crop harvested in 2019/20. Exports are also forecast to increase to 380,000 MT (up seven percent), but this would still be below the levels reached pre-COVID-19.