New Zealand fruit company Turners & Growers (T&G) has told website Stuff.co.nz there are several global buyers looking to purchase the business as major shareholder Guiness Peat Group (GPG) liquidates assets.

GPG's sell-off of its 65% holding in T&G has been under the spotlight of large international organizations, but new Turners chairman Rob Campbell would not reveal the number of suitors, the story reported.

"We're not at the point of saying we're going to negotiate with anyone or whatever. The interest in the business is very strong in particular - it's fair to say - there's an enormous amount of interest in this as a global trading organisation," he was quoted as saying.

He told the website locals tended to view the company as "an auctioneer and a bit of a distributor of some fruit" but the business had a better perception abroad.

GPG's stake in Turners is worth around NZ$129.3 million (US$107 million).

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