The wholesale price of kiwifruit is not a fixed number , but varies depending on the size, origin, time of year, and product quality. For an agronomist or purchasing manager, knowing these parameters is essential for informed negotiations or assessing the profitability of their orchard.
In this article we will look at the updated kiwi prices , the seasonal price structure, the comparison between Italian and Greek production and the agronomic factors that affect the value obtainable at the end of the season.
Kiwi all’ingrosso: 2.28 €/kg range 1.75–3.20 €/kg, media da 5 rilevazioni, aggiornato: 2026-06-15
How the wholesale price of kiwifruit is formed
The price received by the wholesaler is the result of several steps . The most useful data as a reference is the production cost certified by ISMEA : in the Latina district, the main Italian production hub with approximately 33% of the national acreage, the production cost of conventional Hayward stands at 0.51-0.52 euros/kg (average yield 274 quintals per hectare, ISMEA 2023 data).
Added to that cost are the marketing costs of fruit and vegetable processing plants (selection, grading, packaging), logistics and distribution margins . The average ISMEA price ex-PO in the latest available survey is €2.13/kg , up 1.80% compared to the same period of the previous year. ISMEA monitors the complete range of sizes (23, 25, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, 42) in the main production areas: Calabria, Emilia Romagna, Lazio and Veneto. Weekly data are available on ISMEA Markets in the Average Weekly Prices ex-PO section.
The factors that determine the final price level are:
- Size : The larger the fruit, the higher the price. The difference between size 42 and size 25 is worth an average of €0.50/kg.
- Origin : Italian kiwifruit pays a premium compared to Greek ones, but the measured Brix difference does not always justify the commercial differential (13.8-14.6 Brix Italy vs 14.2-15.1 Brix Greece in the 2024/25 season, according to tests carried out by European large-scale retail chains).
- Season of availability : Off-season products from the Southern Hemisphere (New Zealand, Chile) carry a 20-40% premium on the European market.
- Visual quality and shelf life : fruit free of defects, uniformly sized and with good consistency obtains high-end prices.
Hayward Kiwi Price 2024: Data by Size
The table shows the average monthly prices recorded by the Cuneo Chamber of Commerce (the reference point for Northern Italy) for the 2024 campaign . Prices ex-warehouse, category 1 product, excluding VAT.
| Variety / caliber | Gen | February | Sea | Apr | May | Set | Oct | Nov | Average |
| Hayward cal. 42 (bulk) | 1,65 | 1,70 | 1,83 | 1,69 | 1,75 | 1,49 | 1,46 | 1,59 | 1,65 |
| Hayward cal. 36 (bulk) | 1,90 | 1,90 | 1,94 | 1,83 | 1,80 | 1,89 | 1,93 | 1,87 | 1,88 |
| Hayward cal. 30 (bulk) | 1,98 | 1,97 | 2,02 | 1,93 | 1,92 | 2,00 | 2,10 | 2,03 | 1,99 |
| Hayward cal. 25 (bulk) | 2,14 | 2,12 | 2,14 | 2,09 | 2,23 | 2,15 | 2,30 | 2,17 | 2,17 |
The data show that size 25 maintains the greatest price stability throughout the season (fluctuation of €0.21/kg), while size 42 is more sensitive to supply variations (€0.37/kg between the October low and March high). The autumn peak for size 25 (€2.30/kg in October) coincides with the arrival of fresh seasonal produce, when demand exceeds available supply.
UPDATED PRICE
Kiwi all’ingrosso: 2.28 €/kg range 1.75–3.20 €/kg, media da 5 rilevazioni, aggiornato: 2026-06-15
Seasonal prices: when to sell and when the market is under pressure
The global kiwifruit market operates across two hemispheres with complementary harvesting seasons . The Northern Hemisphere (Italy, Greece, France, Spain) harvests between October and November and sells until May-June . The Southern Hemisphere (New Zealand, Chile) enters the European market from May to October , covering the summer window.
For Italian kiwifruit , the critical months are February and March : competition from Greek kiwifruit, available in larger quantities and at lower prices, puts the strongest pressure on prices. From the end of March, the Italian market tends to stabilize , with the gradual exit of Greek produce and a reduction in available domestic volumes.
The highest price moments for the Italian producer typically occur:
- October-November : arrival of fresh seasonal fruit, high demand and market still lacking southern produce.
- March : Italian stocks gradually reduce, Greek kiwifruit begins to sell out, prices recover.
- May : final phase of Italian marketing, scarce product, prices rising for those who still have availability.
In terms of production volatility, the 2023 campaign marked the lowest level in recent years for Italian green kiwifruit : around 170,000 marketable tonnes, compared to an average for recent years that CSO Italy places at around 400,000 tonnes, already far from potential, but almost double the 2023 result. The gap between potential and actual production reflects the pressure of bacterial canker , climate and increasing costs .
Italian vs. Greek Kiwi: The Gap That Guides Commercial Strategies
Greek kiwifruit is not a seasonal threat , but a permanent competitor on the European market, with a stable price gap of €0.30 to €0.50/kg compared to Italian kiwifruit. This gap depends on the product’s quality and the producer organizations’ ability to manage supply.
| Origin | Producer price (€/kg) | Wholesale price (€/kg) | Differential vs Italy |
| Italy (Hayward – (incl. Latina PGI Kiwi) | 1.15 – 1.40 | 1.65 – 3.00 | reference |
| Greece (Hayward) | 0.78 – 1.02 | 1.20 – 2.30 | -0.30 / -0.50 |
| New Zealand (Hayward) | nd | 2.80 – 3.00 | +20/+40% (off-season) |
The topic of Brix (sugar content) deserves careful reading. Some tests conducted by European large-scale retail chains during the 2024/25 season have detected higher average values in Greek kiwifruit compared to Italian ones . This data, if confirmed by institutional analyses, would call into question the objective basis of the Italian premium . For now, the source remains Wikifarmer (2025) and has not been validated by ISMEA or peer-reviewed agronomic journals and should therefore be treated as a signal to monitor, not as consolidated data.
What is well established is that the premium quality of Italian products is based on reputational factors and long-term commercial agreements, not on a qualitative superiority that can be measured organoleptically in all seasonal conditions.
This means that defending the premium depends on the ability to demonstrate quality objectively and repeatably at the time of delivery . Grading isn’t enough: what counts is the fruit’s firmness, residual sugar content, and the absence of early ripening stress.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions About Wholesale Kiwi Prices
Where can I find official wholesale kiwi prices in Italy?
The main institutional sources are the local Chambers of Commerce (the reference markets are Cuneo for the North, Rome for Lazio), ISMEA Mercati for weekly and monthly ex-works PO prices, and CSO Italy for supply chain data. For daily wholesale market prices, the reference is the Milan Fruit and Vegetable Market (SOGEMI) and the Rome Fruit and Vegetable Market (CAR).
Does size really affect the price of kiwifruit or is it just a question of packaging?
It has a direct impact. Data from the Cuneo Chamber of Commerce for 2024 show an average price gap of approximately €0.52/kg between size 42 (the smallest) and size 25 (the largest) , on identical products in terms of variety and category. Added to this is the preference of foreign customers, particularly Germany and France, for larger sizes. Agronomic management that produces uniform, heavy fruit therefore has a direct and measurable economic return .
Is Italian kiwi production declining? How does this affect prices?
Italian green kiwifruit production has been below the production potential of existing orchards for at least a decade . Bacterial canker ( Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae ), climate change, and rising costs have reduced actual volumes. This has supported prices in recent seasons, but has also pushed major Italian trading groups to source product from Greece to ensure continuity for customers. In the long term, prices will depend on the sector’s ability to recover productivity without compromising quality.
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