Frankly Speaking

Frankly Speaking - Week 16
24 April 2018

Welcome to our week 16 update. Gold3 maturity is well into mainpack. Submit volumes are growing and we have good volumes ahead of us. All machines with the exception of Huka Pak 2 are packing Gold3 and we switched capacity to Gold3 in order to pack the fruit at its optimum. Colour is developing, brix’s are rising but we are seeing corresponding fruit pressures decreasing.

We are seeing more variability in Gold3 sample results particularly with taste by size and some random “lotto” results. While this might provide some incentive to hold on, really our advice is get in the queue. We have around nine or ten full harvest days left to clear the Gold3 depending upon orchard clearance and availability.

We have the first sprinkling of Hayward mainpack clearances with the bulk of the results in the mid 5’s. Hayward data is showing that brix and dry matter are ahead of the last three years. We are conscious of staying over the top of the Hayward harvest.

The supply caps are now closed and the contract allocations for Hayward conventional are being submitted. The Green 14 [Sweet Green] harvest is complete. All the Green 14 fruit has been ordered and scheduled for shipping. By the end of next week only part pallets will remain in store.

Our loadout teams have been extremely busy and Seeka has shipped 4.3 million trays of fruit with another 1.9 million trays planned to load this week. Worker shortages at the stevedores are holding up vessel loadings and this is starting to become a problem for the industry.

Gold3 TZG Calculation

Gold3 taste is complicated and there have been many questions over the past week regarding which of the sample results for a maturity area [MA] is used for the TZG calculation. Where there can be more than one sample result for a MA, the highest sample result [by size] is used to calculate the Taste Payment for fruit in that size when we pack it [not its sample distribution – its actual packed volume]. So you will most likely have a different packed TZG from that indicated on your test sample. Please talk to your CRM if this explanation isn’t clear enough.

To the numbers:

Hayward Conventional
Industry packed trays    17,324,872    Seeka packed trays    3,884,809 [22.4%]
Industry average size             30.25   Seeka average size           29.80
Seeka in-store                 1,462,870   On order    1,070,929   

Hayward Organic
Industry packed trays         864,219    Seeka packed trays       166,518 [19.3%]
Industry average size             33.24    Seeka average size         32.99
Seeka in-store                     51,892     On order         35,011

SunGold Conventional
Industry packed trays     24,788,302   Seeka packed trays     4,304,384 [17.4%]
Industry average size             26.77   Seeka average size            26.06
Seeka in-store                 1,147,235   On order              488,139          

SunGold Organic
Industry packed trays          377,489    Seeka packed trays          98,497[26.1%]
Industry average size             27.42    Seeka average size           24.89
Seeka in-store                      44,493    On order               27,719

SweetGreen G14
Industry packed trays          876,253    Seeka packed trays         52,348 [6.0%]
Industry average size              35.31   Seeka average size           35.59
Seeka in-store                         2,798   On order              20,819           
Submit and shipping nearly completed for the season.

Seeka Annual Shareholder meeting reminder

Please be reminded that Seeka will hold its Annual Shareholder Meeting, this Friday [27 April] starting at 2.30pm at the Cartwright Auditorium, Seeka 360 Grower Campus, 34 Young Road, Te Puke. All shareholders are cordially invited; and while you have every right to attend we would politely ask that you RSVP for catering purposes by contacting Annie at annie.moir@seeka.co.nz or 07 5730303.

Happy and safe harvesting. Thanks for your support.

Regards
Michael

Seeka Key
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