The varieties of Kiwifruit

The fruits of different varieties of kiwifruit have different shapes and colours. The two main varieties of kiwifruit traded on the world fruit and vegetable market are the green and the gold varieties. Both are similar in shape and size to a tuber (about 100gr.) and they contain numerous small black seeds at the centre of the fruit. The differences consist in the flesh and skin colour.

• Green kiwifruit/ Hayward kiwifruit: this variety represents more than 90% of the cultivation and it was selected in New Zealand in 1920. It is the most widespread variety of kiwifruit: the fruit is oval, has a dark brown, hairy skin and a bright green flesh, with small black seeds arranged in a circular crown around the centre of the fruit. The shape is similar to an egg or to a small potato.
•  Gold Kiwifruit: it is a variety of kiwifruit, whose fruits have a more elongated shape and a yellow flesh. The skin is hairy. The gold kiwifruit contains more polyphenols compared to the green kiwifruit, with about 1.04 mg/mm.

Apart from these varieties, there are also other varieties, but they are less widespread; among them we can mention, for the green kiwifruit varieties, the Bruno or Abbotkiwifruit with an elongated shape, or the Monty or Chico kiwifruit variety.
In China, the most known variety is the Qin-Mei kiwifruit, in Japan the Koryoky kiwifruit, in California the Vincent kiwifruit and in Australia the Dexter kiwifruit.
Each variety of kiwifruits has particular characteristics, due to the ability to adapt to the soil and to the local climate conditions: therefore these varieties of kiwifruit have a mainly local market.
Another variety of kiwifruit that is worth to mention is the kiwifruit with red flesh and brick red skin.