Fruit Picking Seasons in New Zealand

Fruit Picking Seasons in New Zealand

This is our complete guide to fruit picking seasons in New Zealand.

Mix healthy lashings of sun and rain with a mild, temperate climate, and you’ve got the perfect conditions for growing fruit and vegetables. Welcome to New Zealand – a country renowned for its produce, whether in the form of apples and kiwifruit, onions and squash, or the crushed grapes of its famous wines.

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NZ Harvest Calendar: When and Where to Pick Fruit as a Backpacker

Fruit picking is almost a rite of passage for backpackers in New Zealand, offering opportunities for casual, temporary work that can prove to be a real money maker for good workers. So let’s take a closer look at fruit picking in New Zealand, and when and where you should go for the best opportunities.

Where is the best place for fruit picking work in New Zealand?

New Zealand is a surprisingly big place; a range of different climates are found up and down its length, and certain areas are known for certain crops. The best place for fruit picking will depend on the fruit or veg that you aim to pick.

Being closer to the equator, you can expect to find more subtropical fruits and vegetables, like avocado, olives, kiwifruit and stone fruit on the North Island. The South Island is home to crops that prefer cooler conditions, like white wine grapes, apples, pears and berries.

North Island Harvest Seasons

  • Hawke’s Bay: Grapes, apples, pears, stone fruit, vegetables
  • Wairarapa: Red wine grapes, olives
  • Bay of Plenty: Kiwifruit, avocados
  • Northland: Avocado, citrus, olives
  • Waikato: Onions, potatoes, asparagus, blueberries
  • Auckland: Strawberries, grapefruit
  • Gisborne: Apples, citrus, vegetables

South Island Harvest Seasons

  • Otago: Apples, grapes, stone fruit
  • Marlborough: White wine grapes, sweetcorn, olives
  • Nelson: Apples, pears, berries
  • Canterbury: Asparagus, pumpkin, peas

Fruit Picking / Harvest Seasons

When and where will fruit and veg be growing in New Zealand while you’re there? Browse the table to find your best fruit picking opportunity.

Fruit / Vegetable CropHarvest MonthsBest Locations
ApplesJanuary – June
Peak: March – May
Hawke’s Bay
Nelson
Otago
Waikato
Gisborne
StrawberriesNovember – March
Peak: January – February
Auckland
GrapefruitJune – October
Peak: August – September
Northland
Waikato
Auckland
LemonsJune – January
Peak: July – August
Northland
Bay of Plenty
Gisborne
KiwifruitMarch – August
Peak: May – July
Bay Of Plenty
Te Puke
Tauranga
Northland
RaspberriesDecember – June
Peak: February – April
Nelson
BlueberriesDecember – March
Peak: January – February
Waikato
Bay of Plenty
PeachesDecember – April
Peak: January – February
Hawke’s Bay
Otago
GrapesFebruary – June
Peak: February – April
Marlborough
Otago
Wairarapa
PlumsDecember – April
Peak: January – March
Hawke’s Bay
Otago
Sweet cornJanuary – April
Peak: February – March
Hawke’s Bay
Marlborough
OrangesJune – October
Peak: August – September
Northland
Gisborne
MandarinsMay – September
Peak: June – July
Northland
Gisborne
AvocadosSeptember – April
Peak: January – February
Bay of Plenty
Northland
Waikato
OlivesMarch – July
Peak: April – May
Northland
Hawke’s Bay
Wairarapa
Marlborough
MacadamiaMay – October
Peak: June – July
Northland
Auckland
Bay of Plenty
Marlborough
OnionsNovember – March
Peak: January – February 
Waikato
Auckland
PotatoesYear round
Peak: April – June
Waikato
Auckland
AsparagusJuly – December
Peak: October – November
Waikato
Hawke’s Bay
Canterbury
PearsFebruary – July
Peak: April – May
Hawke’s Bay
Nelson
SquashYear round
Peak: February – March
Hawke’s Bay
Gisborne
PumpkinJanuary – May
Peak: March – April
Hawke’s Bay
Auckland
Canterbury
NectarinesNovember – March
Peak: January – February
Hawke’s Bay
Otago
PeasNovember – April
Peak: February – March
Canterbury
Hawke’s Bay
Marlborough
CherriesNovember – February
Peak: December – January
Otago
Hawke’s Bay
TomatoesDecember – March
Peak: February – March
Hawke’s Bay
Gisborne