Kiwifruit industry in New Zealand Kiwifruit industry in New Zealand Kiwifruit or kiwi is a major horticultural export earner for New Zealand. New Zealand developed the first commercially viable kiwifruit and developed export markets, creating the demand for the fruit that exists today. Today New Zealand is the third largest kiwifruit producing country, next to China and Italy, and holds approximately 30% of the market share. In the 2008-2009 season the value of New Zealand kiwifruit exports was NZ$1.45 billion. Cultivation of the fuzzy kiwifruit spread from China in the early 20th century, when seeds were introduced to New Zealand by Mary Isabel Fraser, the
Okarito kiwi have ensured that there is no noticeable difference in behaviour between such birds and rowi growing up fully in the wild. The centre was developed in 2010 and offers behind the scenes tours of its kiwi hatching and rearing facilities and is the only place in New Zealand where one can see rowi in a nocturnal walkthrough area. Okarito kiwi The Okarito kiwi ("Apteryx rowi") also known as the rowi or Okarito brown kiwi, is a member of the kiwi family Apterygidae, described as new to science in 2003. The species is part of the brown kiwi complex, and is