How A $1 Billion Kiwi Breed Saved New Zealand's Industry
New Zealand is the world's largest kiwi exporter, shipping out over $1 billion of fruit annually. But a little over a decade ago, a deadly plant disease called PSA nearly wiped out the industry. A scientist named Russell Lowe saved it with a new breed called SunGold, which has overtaken green varieties as the most popular kind. We visited New Zealand to see how it grows, picks, ships, and breeds its most prized kiwifruit.
New Zealand is the world's largest kiwi exporter, shipping out over $1 billion of fruit annually. But a little over a decade ago, a deadly plant disease called PSA nearly wiped out the industry. A scientist named Russell Lowe saved it with a new breed called SunGold, which has overtaken green varieties as the most popular kind. We visited New Zealand to see how it grows, picks, ships, and breeds its most prized kiwifruit.