It's good news for apple lovers as new season apples hit supermarkets.
The renewed supply will be welcomed after dire shortages of the fruit, largely due to Cyclone Gabrielle and other adverse weather events.
January is usually a seasonal lull for the fruit — but that's been made worse by the extreme weather.
Paul Paynter, general manager of the Yummy Fruit Company, who supplies New Zealand with everything from Ambrosia apples to Granny Smith, told Breakfast last month that almost 200,000 trees were destroyed.
He said, as with most fruits and vegetables, nature provides only one crop a year.
For Aotearoa, our apple crops are ready for harvest between February and April, "but about 24% of [the harvest was] washed out into the Pacific Ocean," Paynter said.
The fruit has been in limited supply over the last few weeks due to the ongoing effects of Cyclone Gabrielle and the regular season lull. (Source: 1News)
"We ran out of fruit in December," he said, due to Cyclone Gabrielle and the effect the storms had in Hawke's Bay.
Foodstuffs — owner of New World, Pak'nSave, and Foursquare — told 1News Royal Gala apples from Gisborne were in full swing, with Hawke's Bay fruit to follow.
"Varieties such as sweet tango will be in store from next week."
A Woolworths spokesperson also told 1News the new season of New Zealand Royal Gala apples have arrived in stores and there's plenty of supply on the way.
"Other new season varieties are not far away and they’ll be crisp and delicious."
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