JAZZ apples gatecrash the Australian market

New Zealand's hottest apple variety, JAZZ, developed by New Zealand Crown Research Institute, Plant & Food Research, has made it's way into the Australian market thanks to some Kiwi ingenuity by marketing body ENZA.

The 88-year-old Australian ban on the importation of New Zealand apples was avoided because while the actual apple can not be exported there, the bud can be, then grown into tree following quarantine.

JAZZ apples are now growing in New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and the highlands of Queensland in cooler districts similar to New Zealand.

"Definitely from a retailer perspective and a consumer perspective in Australia, the jazz apples sold here are considered Australian," says Rowan Little, Australian orchard manager.

However, for every tree planted on Australian soil and for every apple sold a royalty is being collected in New Zealand - a great return for New Zealand, considering 250,000 trees of the apple have already been planted, with another 150,000 trees to be planted soon.

View the TV3 news item here