Where can I grow kiwifruit?

Actinidia deliciosa · Fruit · Perennial

Kiwifruit is a great fit (80+) on 4.3 million sq mi of land in 77 countries, 53% of it only with irrigation. The most well-suited land is in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Texas, United States and Hunan, China. Where it can't grow, it's usually not enough winter chill (70%) and winters get too cold (24%).Kiwifruit is a great fit (80+) on 11.1 million km² of land in 77 countries, 53% of it only with irrigation. The most well-suited land is in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Texas, United States and Hunan, China. Where it can't grow, it's usually not enough winter chill (70%) and winters get too cold (24%).

Great fit (80+): 4.3M sq mi11.1M km²; 8% of land
Worth a try (50–79): 1.2M sq mi3.0M km²; 2% of land
Great fit without irrigation: 2.2M sq mi5.8M km²; Rain alone is enough
Countries: 77; With great-fit land

Regions with the most suitable land

1
🇦🇷Buenos Aires, Argentina
Great fit on 118k sq mi305k km²
For example Avellaneda (100), Quilmes (100)
2
🇺🇸Texas, United States
Great fit on 106k sq mi274k km² · worth a try on 23k sq mi59k km²
For example Marshall (99), Sherman (98)
3
🇨🇳Hunan, China
Great fit on 71k sq mi183k km²
For example Changsha (100), Changde (100)
4
🇨🇳Sichuan, China
Great fit on 68k sq mi175k km² · worth a try on 3,400 sq mi8,800 km²
For example Bazhong (100), Nanchong (100)
5
🇨🇳Hubei, China
Great fit on 67k sq mi175k km² · worth a try on 800 sq mi2,000 km²
For example Wuhan (100), Yichang (100)
6
🇺🇸California, United States
Great fit on 64k sq mi166k km² · worth a try on 13k sq mi33k km² · mostly with irrigation
For example San Rafael (100), Paradise (100)
7
🇦🇺Victoria, Australia
Great fit on 64k sq mi165k km² · worth a try on 900 sq mi2,500 km² · mostly with irrigation
For example Warragul (100), Burwood (100)
8
🇦🇺New South Wales, Australia
Great fit on 59k sq mi152k km² · worth a try on 5,100 sq mi13k km² · mostly with irrigation
For example Armidale (100), Tamworth (100)
9
🇺🇸Mississippi, United States
Great fit on 53k sq mi138k km² · worth a try on 1,000 sq mi2,700 km²
For example Jackson (100), Southaven (100)
10
🇦🇷Cordoba, Argentina
Great fit on 35k sq mi90k km² · worth a try on 4,900 sq mi13k km² · mostly with irrigation
For example Marcos Juárez (100), Laboulaye (100)
11
🇫🇷New Aquitaine, France
Great fit on 34k sq mi89k km² · worth a try on 800 sq mi2,200 km²
For example Pau (100), Bayonne (100)
12
🇪🇸Andalusia, Spain
Great fit on 34k sq mi88k km² · worth a try on 2,600 sq mi6,800 km² · mostly with irrigation
For example Ubrique (100), Ronda (100)
13
🇦🇷Rio Negro, Argentina
Great fit on 30k sq mi77k km² · worth a try on 500 sq mi1,200 km² · mostly with irrigation
For example Viedma (100), San Antonio Oeste (100)
14
🇿🇦Eastern Cape, South Africa
Great fit on 29k sq mi75k km² · worth a try on 2,000 sq mi5,200 km² · mostly with irrigation
For example Ugie (100), Khowa (100)
15
🇿🇦Free State, South Africa
Great fit on 23k sq mi60k km² · worth a try on 5,500 sq mi14k km² · mostly with irrigation
For example Phuthaditjhaba (100), Tshiame (100)

Regions are states and provinces, counting land within 75 km of a town. At most three per country, so the list covers the world.

By country

🇨🇳China693k sq mi1.8M km² · 32% of its land
🇺🇸United States584k sq mi1.5M km² · 27% of its land
🇦🇷Argentina292k sq mi757k km² · 48% of its land
🇦🇺Australia162k sq mi420k km² · 52% of its land
🇫🇷France156k sq mi405k km² · 69% of its land
🇪🇸Spain156k sq mi405k km² · 72% of its land
🇮🇷Iran136k sq mi352k km² · 25% of its land
🇮🇹Italy128k sq mi331k km² · 84% of its land
🇩🇿Algeria115k sq mi297k km² · 50% of its land
🇯🇵Japan114k sq mi296k km² · 51% of its land

Best-suited towns

100%Ideal
Auckland
🇳🇿 New Zealand
100%Ideal
Manukau City
🇳🇿 Auckland, New Zealand
100%Ideal
Sochi
🇷🇺 Krasnodar Krai, Russia
100%Ideal
Genoa
🇮🇹 Liguria, Italy
100%Ideal
Ya'an
🇨🇳 Sichuan, China
100%Ideal
Xingyi
🇨🇳 Guizhou, China
100%Ideal
Vigo
🇪🇸 Galicia, Spain
100%Ideal
Kawasaki
🇯🇵 Kanagawa, Japan
100%Ideal
Ōta
🇯🇵 Tokyo, Japan
100%Ideal
Rasht
🇮🇷 Gilan Province, Iran
100%Ideal
Leshan
🇨🇳 Sichuan, China
100%Ideal
Katsushika
🇯🇵 Tokyo, Japan

The most comfortable fits among the 2,000 biggest towns, two per region. Scores assume irrigation where rain falls short; Needs irrigation marks towns that need it.

What kiwifruit needs

Winter chill (9 winters in 10): Ideal at least 42 portionsWon't grow below 30 portions
Coldest night of the year (average): Ideal at least 14°FIdeal at least -10°CWon't grow below 5°FWon't grow below -15°C
Frost-free days: Ideal at least 240 daysWon't grow below 200 days
Degree days above 50°FDegree days above 10°C: Ideal at least 2,520 °F·daysIdeal at least 1,400 °C·daysWon't grow below 1,800 °F·daysWon't grow below 1,000 °C·days
Days above 95°FDays above 35°C: Ideal at most 30 daysWon't grow above 100 days
Yearly rain: Ideal 39–79 inIdeal 1,000–2,000 mmWon't grow below 24 in or above 118 inWon't grow below 600 mm or above 3,000 mm

Shoots are tender to spring frost; vines need shelter from wind.

Sources: Zespri / New Zealand kiwifruit growing guidance; FAO ECOCROP: Actinidia deliciosa.

What stops it elsewhere

Not enough winter chill70%
Winters get too cold24%
Frost-free season too short4%
Not enough summer heat1%

Share of the land scoring under 50, by what holds it back most.

How this map works

Every 28 km square of land is scored 0–100 against the requirements above, using 1991–2020 monthly climate averages with frost, chill and heat estimated by simulating daily weather. Each square is scored with whichever variety fits it best. “Irrigated” ignores rain shortfalls; “Rainfed” counts them. Tap any square to see everything that grows there.

Climate is only part of it: soil, slope, water and markets decide where a crop is actually farmed. Use this to shortlist places, then check them locally.