6.14     Blackcurrants

6.14.1 Industry profile

Blackcurrants are grown commercially in New Zealand by 12 growers, with production of around 4,000 tonnes per year planted on approximately 900 hectares in Nelson and Canterbury regions.

Blackcurrants are a prescribed product under the New Zealand Horticulture Export Authority. The recognised product group is Blackcurrants New Zealand whose role is to represent growers, ensure sustainable growth and profitability in the New Zealand blackcurrant industry, and promote New Zealand blackcurrants as a premium product.

The industry strategic plan:

• clearly defines the future direction of the New Zealand blackcurrant industry,
• provides guiding principles for Blackcurrants New Zealand’s investment of levies collected from growers,
• prioritises activities to ensure that Blackcurrants New Zealand effectively drives the desired change in the New Zealand blackcurrant industry

As part of this strategy, the vision of the industry is to become: ‘A fully integrated industry that delivers the goodness of New Zealand blackcurrants to the world.’

The mission of Blackcurrants New Zealand in achieving this is: ‘To inspire, coordinate and drive meaningful partnerships between New Zealand blackcurrant growers, processors, marketers and researchers.’

6.14.2 Exports

Blackcurrant exports have a combined value of $13.3 million in 2024. This is a 14% increase on the total value for 2022. The value of frozen concentrate and individually quick-frozen blackcurrants increased 35% and 50% respectively, while there was a 7% decrease in the value of ‘other’ blackcurrants. In 2022, there was a five-fold increase in the value of ‘other’ blackcurrants to almost $7 million with exports maintained at a comparable level in 2024. This illustrates industry success in raising and maintaining the value of blackcurrant export products by further processing onshore. In 2024, frozen juice concentrate, IQF and ‘other’ blackcurrant exports each represented 13%, 39% and 48% of the value of all products, respectively.

Frozen juice concentrate. Exports of frozen juice concentrate increased 35% to $1.66 million in 2024. Japan is the most valuable market taking 41% of volume and representing 45% by value. Malaysia was previously the most valuable market accounting for 64% of value in 2020. The value of this market has fallen dramatically with no exports to Malaysia in 2024. The average value of frozen concentrate has continued to climb from $10,705/tonne in 2020, $14,667/tonne in 2022, to $20,777/tonne in 2024, a 42% increase.

Table 6.14.1: Frozen blackcurrant concentrate (2009.89.20.15) export markets 2022-2024(year ending June, 1,000L, $NZ FOB)

Volume = 1,000L

The decline in the Malaysian market reflects a decision in 2017 by Frucor Beverages to cease purchasing New Zealand blackcurrant juice concentrate which is used as an ingredient in drinks such as Ribena®. The rapid fall in exports in 2018 was a direct reflection of this commercial decision. As a result, a number of growers exited the industry. The high point for frozen fruit juice concentrate was $14 million in 2012. The global nutraceutical market is the focus for blackcurrant industry growth.

Individual quick frozen. Exports were worth $5.2 million in 2024, a 50% increase from 2022. China and Japan are the largest markets for IQF blackcurrants representing 59% and 39% of value respectively. A higher value per tonne is achieved for product exported to Japan ($5,423/tonne) than to China ($4,770/tonne). The value of other markets fluctuates year on year with no product sent to some markets in different years. The average value for IQF blackcurrants increased 41% from $3,543/tonne in 2022 to $5,006/tonne in 2024.

Table 6.15.2: Individually quick frozen blackcurrant (0811.20.09.21) export markets 2022-2024 (year ending June, tonnes, $NZ FOB)

Other blackcurrant exports. Blackcurrant exports other than frozen concentrate or IQF products include a variety of different product forms (e.g., puree, pomace, powder) with a wide range of values, for example, processed powder products worth several hundred thousand dollars per tonne.

In 2024, exports of these products decreased by 7% to $6.4 million, following a five-fold increase from $1.4 million in 2020 to almost $7 million in 2022. China remains the largest market with 90% by volume and 81% by value of all exports of ‘other’ blackcurrant exports in 2024. Exports to Malaysia represent 9% of value. After a hiatus, ‘other’ blackcurrants have been the first products sent to this market since 2018. Other markets have been variable over this reporting period. The average value for ‘other’ blackcurrant exports more than doubled from $2,433/tonne in 2020 to $4,999/tonne in 2022, but decreased slightly to $4,870/tonne in 2024.

Blackcurrants New Zealand has worked with New Zealand Customs and the HEA to develop more HS codes to better describe the exported product forms. These include 1106.30.00.10, 1106.30.00.15 for exports of variable strength blackcurrant powder, and 1212.99.00.13 used for blackcurrant pomace. Exports using these codes are not included in this report. 

Table 6.15.3: Other blackcurrant exports (0811.20.09.23, 0811.20.09.28, 2008.99.31.01) export markets 2022-2024 (year ending June, tonnes, $NZ FOB)

6.14.3 Barriers to export

Cost of Tariffs

Almost all of the cost of tariffs on blackcurrant exports are due to high tariffs imposed by the EU. IQF blackcurrants into the EU in 2024 were subject to a tariff of $26,910 which equates to 24% of the export value of $110,877. This tariff is eliminated with entry into force of the New Zealand-EU FTA. Tariffs imposed by Japan and South Korea for frozen concentrate phased out in 2023 and 2024 respectively, under CPTPP and the New Zealand-Korea FTA. Although no products entered the UK in this period, tariffs to this market have been eliminated in the New Zealand-UK FTA. Tariffs of 4% to 5% remain for the USA and minor markets.  

The estimated cost of tariffs equates to an average $2,411 across the 12 blackcurrant growers.

Table 6.15.4: Cost of blackcurrant tariffs (based on 2024 FOB value)

SPS and other market access barriers

Almost all blackcurrants are exported as frozen (block frozen or individually quick frozen) or processed forms (concentrate or puree), or as a powdered nutraceutical, so there are no significant phytosanitary market access problems. The industry operates an enforceable food safety programme as part of its export marketing strategy (EMS) under the HEA structure to help ensure it retains access to all its key markets. 

Persimo