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
Great spotted kiwi and will also eat plants. Great spotted kiwi breed between June and March. The egg is the largest of all birds in proportion to the size of the bird. Chicks take 75 to 85 days to hatch, and after hatching, they are abandoned by their parents. This large kiwi is one of five species of kiwis residing in New Zealand. The other four are the tokoeka ("Apteryx australis"), Okarito brown kiwi ("Apteryx rowi"), little spotted kiwi ("Apteryx owenii"), and North Island brown kiwi ("Apteryx mantelli"). Great spotted kiwis are related most closely to the little spotted kiwi. The kiwi genus,