Kiwifruit Pollination: A Shared Responsibility Between Growers and Beekeepers

At the recent Manuka Orchard Open Day, Shane Max, Zespri’s Head of Global Extension, shared a forward-looking update on the role bees play in New Zealand’s kiwifruit industry, and the importance of strong beekeeper–grower partnerships as the sector continues to expand.

Shane Max, Zespri’s Head of Global Extension

Zespri’s projections show continued growth, including new Gold3 plantings, as well as possible expansion of red varieties. That scale of development demands a consistent supply of high-quality hives, something that can only be achieved through collaboration, clear agreements, and ongoing hive auditing.

Shane also spoke about the specific challenges and opportunities of placing hives in covered orchards, where hail nets can disrupt bee navigation. Practical adjustments, like placing hives on block boundaries or under open sky, splitting introductions, rolling up side panels,  and auditing hives before and after pollination, can help mitigate these effects and keep pollination performance high.

Bringing beekeepers and growers together creates  the opportunity to better understand each other perspectives.

Hive auditing was another focus, with industry’’s standards outlining what a quality hive should contain, from bee numbers, brood frames and laying queens to available comb and disease-free colonies. These audits give both growers and beekeepers confidence, ensuring hives are up to standard before flowering begins.

The importance of these practices extends well beyond kiwifruit.

From Logan - “Bees and the beekeepers who care for them, are not only vital for kiwifruit pollination, but for the productivity of New Zealand’s entire agricultural sector.”

As kiwifruit production grows, so does the need for reliable pollination. Workshops, training, and regular communication between growers and beekeepers will be key to meeting demand, protecting yields, and ensuring that our bees remain healthy and effective partners in New Zealand’s food production history.

From Shane - “I have always found good communication is essential between the beekeeping and kiwifruit industry. We have always had a symbiotic relationship and our industries ongoing growth is reliant on consistent supply of high quality hives”. The Manuka Orchard Day provided a great opportunity to  discuss and learn from each other“

Did You Know: Zespri exports fruit to 50 countries, all of which have been grown utilising bee pollination.

Keep up to date with the Zespri Newsroom at their website here