NZME - Avocado Special Feature - January 2020

Celebrating the history and growth of the avocado over the years in New Zealand

‘Success From The Roots Up’ AMF Arbuscular Mycorrhizae Fungi Use MycoGro Hort for: • Use for all NEW Plantings • Established Orchards • Increase Root Mass • Increase Nutrient Uptake • Increase Disease Resistance • Increase Crop Production • A BioFertiliser that WORKS

Avocado root growth with (top) and without (bottom) MycoGro Hort® Treatment

FOR MORE INFORMATION

www.goodtogrownz.co.nz

Contact Richard Bradburn Ph: 0273470392 or Richard@goodtogrownz.co.nz or Mark McRae Ph: 021924650 or mark@containernurseries.co.nz

Arbuscular Mycorrhizae Fungi MycoGro Hort® is a arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi product developed in New Zealand for the New Zealand horticulture and nursery industries.

About 80% of the world's plant species form associations with these types of mycorrhizae. These beneficial fungi greatly increase the effective rooting area of plants thereby enhancing plant growth, vigor, water uptake, nutrient availability, flowering, yields and production.

MycoGro Hort® can be used at all stages of plant development including seedling propagation, transplanting and with compost application. It can be applied directly to root zone or blended into the substrate (e.g. potting mix or compost).

It is beneficial for a wide range of horticultural and ornamental plants including but not limited to pittosporum, kiwifruit, grapes, pip fruit, stone fruit, nuts, avocado, lettuce, chilli and tomato, Plant families that cannot be colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizae include Brassicaceae, Amaranthaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Cyperaceae and Lupinus

Stimulating Vigorous plant growth

P e r f o r m a n c e i n Tr i a l s

%

%

%

%

%

55 Increase

41 Increase

71 Increase 146 Increase 24 Increase

Fresh weight Lettuce

Fruit number Chill

Rool dry matter Pittosporum

Lattuce trial Mycogro Hort middle row (both pictures) Control bottom row (top pic) - left row (right pic) Opposition product top row (top pic) - right row (right pic)

Root dry matter Avocado

Plant height Pittosporum

MycoGro Hort® Propagated in a pumice carrier (1-2mm) MycoGro Hort@ undergoes QA testing to ensure that it complies with the required minimum production standard of 100 propagules/ml.

Because production is domestic and used New Zealand sourced mycorrhizal stains it does not represent a biosecurity risk as experienced with imported products.

When applied directly to soil MycoGro Hort@ should be worked into the top 25-100mm layer at a rate of 500-750g/100m2 - When mixed into a substrate it should be done so at a rate of 2.5-5% of the mix by volume . When applied directly to a trees root zone at transplanting apply up to 100g to the root zone.

Application of high rates of phosphorous fertiliser can have a detrimental effect on the level of mycorrhizal infection.

MycoGro Hort@ is PVR pending and the product label should be referred to before use.

Avocado root growth with (left) and without (right) MycoGro Hort@ treatment

2

Contents Gisborne Grey family there frrom the start ......4-6

Amazing avocado nutrients............................. 16

Early fruit promotion in the ‘b big smoke’ ............ 6

Avocado recipes for the BBQ.......................... 17

Avocado oil 100 per cent pure .......................... 6

Riversun no longer a backyard nursery........... 18

Collaborative export marketing group............... 8

Just Avocados................................................. 20

Turners & Growers there from the start ............. 9 New Zealand to host 2023 WAC ....................... 9 A prominent name in the industry ................... 10 Memories of Gisborne’s heyday...................... 12 Early growing days ‘pretty hectic’ ................... 13 Tony Ponder, Chair’s comments...................... 14

From one grower to 400 .................................. 22 Fruit-focused festival plenty of fun.................. 22 49 years in the industry, and counting ............ 23 Avocado orchards in demand up North .......... 24 New plantings a hefty boost for industry ........ 25

The women who make it work ........................ 15

Seeka’s Kerikeri packhouse ............................ 26

Avocado research and industry systems ........ 15

Comfortable with staying small ....................... 26

The

Far North Packers ........................................... 26

Jen Scoular, CEO, NZ Avocado NZ Avocado works alongside growers to promote and advance the industry, by packing the goodness of New Zealand into every slice of avocado we share with the world.

Avocado

I

Apata’s humble beginnings ............................. 21

Planting for iwi’s future .................................... 14

growth in value of the avocado industry... 16

January 2020 Published by:

As an industry we have come a long way and it is wonderful to recognise the many players and pathways that have contributed to the success we are enjoying today. The 80 year history of avocados in New Zealand is rich and the future is bright.

collaborate with, and learn from, other primary industry sectors.

sectors and entities in NZ, and strong global relationships.

We have extended the PGP programme to look at differentiation of our product, sustainability and the feasibility of a breeding programme.

In 2011 the industry was in a tough spot, struggling to deliver reasonable returns to avocado growers despite record harvest volumes. We recognised we needed a step change to become globally competitive as an exporter of premium high value produce. In 2012 a five year plan was developed and opportunities of funding to support the step change were sought, resulting in avocados becoming the first Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) in horticulture.

The increasing visibility of the avocado industry globally and the success in New Zealand have led to strong investment into avocados. It has seen the quadrupling of avocado tree propagation in our largest nurseries, from 40,000 trees a year to over 150,000 this year. Huge new orchard developments are taking place, many of them conversions from dairy farms, mostly in Northland.

We are thrilled to have the opportunity to host the next World Avocado Congress in 2023 and will open our hearts and our orchards to avocado stakeholders from around the world.

The $8.6m five year programme allowed the industry to invest across the value chain, from research through to market development. It raised our visibility and our ambitions, and encouraged us to

Under a vision for a sustainable, profitable industry we have modelled out to 2040, with 10,000 hectares and net sales of $1billion. We are confident we can reach those audacious goals provided we continue to have very strong collaboration across our own industry, with other

We very much appreciate the support of the Crown, NZ agencies and industry stakeholders who collectively enable the growth in productivity, efficiency, industry systems and market development. There is still a huge amount to learn and we must continue research across the supply chain, to ensure we deliver on our promise of premium avocados for the world.

Our purpose at NZ Avocado is to inspire healthy life; we believe avocados are the perfect food to enable that. I hope you are all inspired to indulge in our delicious, nutritious avocados which will be in plentiful supply throughout this glorious New Zealand summer.

Jen Scoular, CEO, NZ Avocado

industry NZ success story

’d like to congratulate our avocado industry as it celebrates 80 years of growing this wonderful fruit in New Zealand.

The avocado industry is vitally important to New Zealand, and a Kiwi success story. Not only is the industry important for our national economy, it’s important for our regions, in particular Bay of Plenty and Northland.

Since 2000, avocados have consistently been New Zealand’s third largest fresh fruit export following kiwifruit and apples, with around 70 per cent of New Zealand avocados being exported. In the 2018/2019 growing season, we exported $87.5 million worth of avocados, and in October 2018 we saw the first successful export of New Zealand avocados to China.

Total avocado production for the 2018/2019 growing season reached more than 31,400 tonnes, and the 2019/2020 season has got off to a good start with orchards harvesting over double the number of trays compared to early August 2018.

The avocado industry looks set to achieve the industry goal of tripling production and reaching an industry value of $280 million by 2023. To help meet this target, the government and New Zealand Avocado are partners in the New Zealand Avocados Go Global programme.

The programme has been an important catalyst to help grow our avocado industry as it has contributed towards the industry cohesiveness, enabled the development of new markets in Asia, and supported improvements in tree health and orchard management which has led to an increase in the number of best performing orchards. A two-year extension of the New Zealand Avocados Go Global programme was granted in May this year to keep up the good momentum.

The government is also supporting NZ Avocado through AvoVantage, a three-year project producing practical best practice guidelines for growers to produce high quality avocados.

An important part in the industry’s continued success is keeping New Zealand free of pests and diseases. I would like to thank the avocado industry for being an exemplary contributor to biosecurity readiness, so New Zealand can put its best foot forward to keep out pests such as the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug.

Congratulations to NZ Avocado on their successful bid to host the 10th World Avocado Congress in New Zealand in 2023. The World Avocado Congress is expected to deliver more than $3 million in direct economic benefits to New Zealand.

It will be an excellent opportunity for the industry to showcase the innovation and hard work that goes into our primary production and to tell the New Zealand story as a producer of high-quality food and fibre.

Hosting the World Avocado Congress will be a great opportunity for avocado growers, and others across the wider horticulture sector, to network with producers from across the globe and

Damien O’Connor raise the profile of our strong position in this important industry.

Damien O’Connor, Minister of Agriculture and Minister for Biosecurity, Food Safety, and Rural Communities & Minister of State for Trade and Export Growth.

3

The

history D

avid and Judi Grey’s family can proudly claim to have been involved with the New Zealand avocado industry for just on a century.

In fact, the couple, who are passionate about avocados in general and their own specially developed varieties in particular have maintained the family history of growing and promoting the fruit – as well as developing their own varieties.

David says it was in about 1920 that the New Zealand Department of Agriculture first imported avocado seeds and distributed them to growers around New Zealand.

grown’ in a small nursery – claypots in a small poly-house. So the orchard evolved over quite a number of years.”

Initially there were a few other growers in the Gisborne area, with trees supplied by Len Grey.

In 1968, David returned to Gisborne from time studying at Massey University and in California and in partnership with his brother, Bruce - and subsequently wife, Judi, developed a new 13ha property at Bushmere Road.

His grandfather, Charles Grey, planted several seeds on his Ormond, Gisborne property, growing three large trees.

“Over time we planted part of that property in avocados: Hass, Fuerte, Zutano, Reed and Hopkins at first, but later mostly Hass,” says David.

“We exported fruit to Australia and also sold within New Zealand.”

“One of these started to bear fruit about 1932 and in 1938-39 my father marketed the fruit in Auckland as the “Ormond” variety, says David.

David and Judi later developed several new green-skin varieties based on the Sharwil variety, noted for its eating quality and resistance to pests and diseases.

From 1940, David’s father Len began importing new varieties from California including Fuerte, Nabal, Mexicola, Helen, Mary Martin and Zutano and in about 1960, the now dominant Hass variety.

All of those Greystar, Titan and Eclipse varieties taste better than Hass, the main variety grown in New Zealand, the two say. However, it’s been a long haul getting them established, and a tough job convincing growers to try them.

Until 1970, Len was the only commercial avocado grower in New Zealand,” says David.

“My father was at one stage the biggest grower of lemons in New Zealand.

“As his interest in avocados developed, the lemons were removed to make space for avocado trees. All the trees were ‘home-

Their experience with their Avogrey® Super Series green-skin avocados started in 1999 when they planted Sharwil variety seedlings.

“We figured that by starting with the “Rolls-Royce” of avocados, we had a good chance of producing something special,” says David

Going the extra mile Experience counts for a lot in n horticulture and our team has it in spadess.

We’ve been in business since 1985, and packing avocados exclusively for 13 years.

During that time, we’ve made a point of getting to know what matters most to growers and making sure we deliver on customer expectations. That’ss because many of us are growers too.

Histor y shows this industr y can be unpredictable at times and Mo other Nature always has the final say. But we love a challenge and thrive in the pre essure-cooker environment of the packhouse e. You look to us to handle your fruit well, and we pride ourselves on giving your avoca ados the TLC they deserve on their journey through the supply chain with us.

We value our grower partnersh hips in the midNorth and thank you for trusting us with the fruits of your labour.

Golden Mile Fruitpackers Phone 09 438 2326 Email info@goldenmile.co.nz

4

David and Judi Grey pictured in their Gisborne orchard, where they have developed new varieties of avocado. Photo: Supplied

“Several years later some of those seedlings were producing good crops of superior quality fruit. We were encouraged

by Alvero Vidiella (then scientific researcher with NZ Avocado) and Geoff Thorpe, managing director of Riversun Nursery in Gisborne, to protect these varieties and ensure they were not lost.

“In December 2015 we applied for Plant Variety Rights (PVRs) on the three varieties.

This meant they were immediately protected, but subject to evaluation.

“That process is to determine the new variety to be distinct, uniform and stable, and requires assessments over a growing season from flowering to harvest.”

So far, says David, GreyStar has been granted full PVR status.

“Eclipse should follow at harvest April 2020, and Titan is underway this season.

“We can then control sale of trees and the marketing of the fruit, and charge a royalty at both stages.”

Gisborne grower David Grey shows off the creamy flesh of a ripe GreyStar avocado.

the north, and wonders where that fruit will find a market.

“While avocados are ‘on a roll’ world-wide, so is the planting, and our traditional export opportunity in Australia is shrinking.

“Quality issues with the Hass variety are of concern too. I tell people, Hass is a dry climate fruit being grown in a wet climate.

The further north you go, the wetter and more humid the climate - the greater the disease pressure.”

New varieties claimed to excel in quality

The difference between their new avocado varieties and the mainstream ones sold on New Zealand’s domestic market is their outstanding quality, say pioneering Gisborne growers David and Judi Grey.

David & Judi Grey with Dot Grey.

The problem now is that despite the fact that the new varieties have featured in industry publications, they’ve attracted little interest in New Zealand.

“We have marketed fruit for several seasons through MG Ltd, Nelson, and all of it has gone to Benge & Co Greengrocers. The fruit consistently commands a premium over Hass, and Benge’s have regular customers who seek out our fruit,” says David.

“This season there are two small plantings, about 100 trees each, going to properties in Gisborne and Te Puke. Next spring, another Gisborne grower plans to plant 2000 trees – a mix of GreyStar, Eclipse and Esther.

“But we have had a strong response from a Queensland nursery, and interest from Westfalia in South Africa. Material of three varieties is currently in quarantine in both countries.

“The Australian agent has visited our property four times already and brought

a prospective large grower along on the most recent visit.”

“The difference is their green skin, their size, and quality, quality, quality,” David says.

“Titan, a very large fruit, matures November/December. GreyStar follows, the perfect mid-season fruit, December to perhaps March.”

“Eclipse is a very late-maturing variety, later than Reed, and late enough to fill that market time around April, May, June.

“New Zealand isn’t the only market that thinks of Hass as the be-all-andend-all of avocados. But we’re working with some successful industry people over the Tasman who adamantly believe that domestic consumers are tired of their experiences with undermatured fruit ripening in poor condition at point of sale.

“They believe green-skin and large fruit is going to overtake Hass, with the Chinese particularly interested in these attributes. And we know the new Avogrey® varieties are far superior to what consumers are buying now.” continued page 6

Avogrey Orchard has 50 GreyStar trees aged 4-12 years and 120 aged 18 months. There are six Eclipse trees aged from 4-12 years, and 50 that have been in the ground for 18 months. The Titan variety follows with just 15 trees so far.

“We would love to plant more, but orchard space - and our age, limits us,” says David.

“We hope to establish these varieties in New Zealand, and have contracted MG Marketing to manage promotion and marketing on our behalf.

“Progress in Australia will be separate, and we have established a good relationship with parties there.

Looking back at how the industry has grown so massively during the Greys’ 50 years of involvement, David says he has concerns at the massive plantings in

Greystar avocados pictured in David and Judi Grey’s Gisborne orchard.

Kiwifruit growers, don’t gamble with frosts.

Extreme temperature ranges are here to stay. y.

That means managing frost risk to avoid devastating losses.

Calculate the R.O.I. by installing a quiet, iet, reliable and efficient FROSTBOSS C49.

49.

Andrew (Boots) Roff M +64 21 276 9963 P +64 6 879 8312 E info@nzfrostfans.com nzfrostfans.com

5

from page 5 The Greys also grow Esther and Sharwil varieties on their long-established Gisborne orchard.

“Sharwil originated in Queensland but even there it does not crop well,” says David.

“However, it became a dominant variety in Hawaii. We have about 30 trees and get reasonable crops some years, but have always appreciated the quality of the fruit.”

David says Esther is one of three varieties (the other two are Gwen and Whitsell) released by the University of California, Riverside in the US as semi-dwarfing trees with good yields of quality green-skin fruit.

“The three varieties were introduced to New Zealand, and we acquired some grafts from the DSIR research orchard in Te Puke. Esther is the variety we found most useful. It carries large green fruit which matures later than Reed.

avocado trees had been planted on the property back in 1920 and with them producing fruit, the pair also turned their attention to avocados.

Len began researching avocado-growing, corresponding with Dr RW Hodgson, a world authority on subtropical horticulture at the University of California (UCLA).

‘Father of avocado industry’ praised

When Gisborne’s Len Grey, died in 1993, aged 77, industry magazine Avo Scene paid special tribute to him as, “the father of the avocado industry” in New Zealand.

It was a fitting description for the pioneering who in 1932 joined his father Charles Grey, on a 14 10ha mixed orchard, market garden and farm at Ormond.

Three years later the two began focusing on citrus and subtropical fruits. Several

In 1938 he began importing grafted commercial varieties from California and Queensland as well as developing and grafting their own trees. By 1960 he had more than 1000 of them. Len took over the property from his parents in 1947, by which time it was mostly in avocados and citrus.

Specialists from Israel and California also visited Gisborne, enabling Len to build an impressive knowledge of avocado culture, boosted by another six-week visit to the US with Bruce. In 1972 Dr Schroeder advised the Greys to buy hillside land, which had been found to suit avocado culture in California, as well as helping the trees resist phytophthora through better drainage.

The Grey’s Waimarae Orchard became popularly known as “Fruit Salad Farm” because of the numerous subtropical fruit crops trialled there.

Early fruit promotion

in the ‘big smoke’ E fforts by growers to promote avocados back in the early days of the industry are well illustrated by the work of legendary Gisborne couple, the late Len and Dorothy Grey.

Back in 1972 on a promotional visit to the “big smoke”, they were interviewed

by Michael Brett of the now defunct Auckland Star and received some helpful publicity in Brett’s popular “The Auckland Diary” column At the time, many New Zealander’s hadn’t even heard of avocados, and spreading the word could be an uphill battle.

Wrote Brett: “Many a year, New Zealand’s avocado pioneer and biggest-by-far grower, Len Grey (56) of Gisborne is likely to look at the crop from his 1000 or so trees and say with feeling: Thank goodness for oranges and lemons. But not this year.

Avocado oil

G

rove Avocado Oil was launched in 2000 when a small group of orchardists began experimenting with extracting oil from the fruit.

Today, those early efforts have evolved into a world-class production process at a facility in Armstrong Rd, Te Puna, where 100 per cent pure oil from the finest quality avocados is made.

6

Len was president of the Gisborne Citrus and Subtropical Society, receiving a life membership in 1980 for his 42 years of service. In 1990 he was awarded the MBE for services to horticulture.

In 1963 Len and his wife Dorothy were visited by Dr CA Schroeder, Professor of Sub-tropical Horticulture at UCLA, who was evidently impressed with the quality of their fruit. The pair visited him in 1966, taking a good look at the Californian industry, and Dr Schroeder made return visits to NZ in 1968 and 1972.

“It surprises us that no-one else seems to know or grow this variety, but it is an obvious choice for late fruit production.”

“All the things that make for a good avocado year – and no-one knows quite what they are – must have been present.

Dorothy was also an enthusiastic promoter of avocados and in 1972 the pair received the Gisborne Travel Enterprise Award for hosting thousands of visitors to the orchard over 30 years.

Avocado pioneer the late Len Grey pictured packing fruit by hand at his Gisborne packhouse. Photo: Supplied

An avocado is ripe when it is soft all over to the prick of a toothpick.

The trees are laden, the crop estimated at 11 times bigger than last year. And the price about 15 cents rather than the 50 cents to $1 of last year.

“Then of course there’s avocado with shrimps or avocado dip, or avocado mould – avocado with anything that doesn’t swamp its subtle flavour.”

“Spurred by this and the desire to make us all avocado advocates, Mr Grey – and his wife Dorothy are in town to promote his product. Yesterday they were at Pakuranga Foodtown, today at Three Kings and tomorrow at Papakura.

The story then explained Len’s background in the fledgling industry, quoting him as saying he still needed to grow citrus as avocados were “only marginal,” with widely fluctuating crops from year to year.

“He explains: First we must get rid of the connection between avocado and pear.

If people think of a pear, they’ll eat them when they are firm – and that’s hopeless.

An avocado is ripe when it is soft all over to the prick of a toothpick.

“Again he explains: Retailers and many people don’t understand their use. We’ve brought a few recipes and my wife is demonstrating them. You can eat avocado any time. We didn’t have any butter in the motel when we arrived so we mashed up avocado, added pepper and salt and spread it on toast – perfect!

Len told Brett that now he was growing summer fruit, the idea was to have a supply all year round.

“These summer fruit are smaller and sometimes black rather than the normal green. But they taste the same.”

Brett wrote that as the avocado gained in popularity, growers in Tauranga, Opotiki, Auckland and Bay of Islands challenged the Greys, who at the time, had 90 per cent of the market.

“He doesn’t mind that. He wants a constant supply and an ever-increasing market,” the story said.

Auckland Star newspaper clipping.

“So with summer coming up, his wife offers something special – chilled avocado soup.”

The article included the recipe for the soup and was accompanied by a photo of Dorothy demonstrating how to make it. The headline read: “EAT UP, SAYS THE AVOCADO MAN”

100 per cent pure The Grove production team obtains fruit from fully certified suppliers in compliance with industry standards, established and monitored by NZ Avocado. The company has perfected the extraction of avocado oil by cold pressing in a single extraction to produce their extra virgin avocado oil.

Only the flesh is used in the process, resulting in a vibrant, green, pure oil which is bottled into light sensitive glass

bottles to preserve its freshness and flavour.

Grove Avocado oils come in five different flavours: extra virgin, lime, garlic, chilli and lemon. The oils are highly regarded by cooks, especially as avocado oil has a high smoke point (190-205 degrees C versus 175 degrees for coconut oil and 165-190 degrees for extra virgin olive oil).

The higher an oil’s smoke point, the more versatile it is for cooking.

The product is also high in lutein, an antioxidant that ben nefits eye health and may lower the risk of agerelated eye diseases. Itt also enhances the absorption of important nutrients, boosting the absorption of healthpromoting antioxidants s in food. It is also considered great for sk kin health, keeping it naturally hydrated. One study has shown that avocado o oil may also benefit the healing of woun nds.

STRONGER WITH SEEKA From Orchard to Market

STRONGER SUPPORT

STRONGER INNOVATION

STRONGER MARKETING

STRONGER RETURNS

from a trusted team

*#) #!'&$&(+" !)#%'(

in lucrative markets

year after year

Work seamlessly with one experienced team from orchard to market - covering everything from on-orchard support, technical expertise to optimise yields and returns, post-harvest management and market sales.

We believe in innovation to deliver value to our growers, such as owning the NZ rights to the GEM™ variety, which is now starting to be produced on a commercial scale with anticipated higher production levels and less alternate bearing.

Our marketing and retail programmes have created strong demand and premium returns for our brand in lucrative markets including Australia, Japan, Korea, Thailand and China.

We have a proven track record of delivering premium returns to our growers – outperforming the industry in OGR per hectare and per tray year after year.

Growing avocados?

Talk to Graham on 027 650 7513 or email graham.cater@seeka.co.nz

7

Collaborative export

marketing group emerges T

he 2011-12 avocado export season is etched into the minds of many growers.

Fierce competition between Kiwi exporters in Australia had created unsustainable market conditions.

New Zealand fruit had flooded the Aussie market, resulting in below average orchard gate returns for growers, upsetting many.

The New Zealand avocado industry was officially at a crossroads.

No one wanted a repeat of 2011-12 and, for exporting marketing companies Southern Produce and Primor, the season was a catalyst for change.

The two companies listened to New Zealand growers and took on board their need for a more collaborative industry. Growers said they wanted better communication between exporters, more information-sharing and the kind of consolidated supply that would lead to less volatile returns at the orchard gate.

Several industry stalwarts, including Ron Bailey from Te Puke and Hugh Moore from Katikati, led discussions and played influential roles behind-the-scenes, helping to outline the shape of a new export model that would benefit growers and ensure the industry had a viable future.

In 2013, Southern Produce and Primor set aside their rivalries and joined forces to create AVOCO – the largest growerled movement to unite the New Zealand avocado industry and further its international success.

Since the export group was formed, more than 800 growers have signed up to supply AVOCO with the knowledge and satisfaction that they’re supporting a

model that has the best interests of both the grower and industry at heart.

Now in its seventh export season, the organisation has demonstrated that better results can be achieved by working together.

Directors John Carroll and Alistair Young are proud of what AVOCO has achieved for growers and the industry, which has been experiencing an avocado renaissance in recent years.

Off the back of renewed confidence in the Australian market and market development led by AVOCO in Asia under the AVANZA brand, demand for young trees has reached new heights.

Growers are reinvesting in new orchard developments in the Far North, midNorth and parts of the Bay of Plenty, and replacing older trees with clonal rootstock.

Both men are excited by what renewed orchard developments mean for the industry long term.

Alistair says the replanting programmes and new orchards will help to boost New Zealand’s production over the next decade. However, it’s critical that the industry improves its disciplined market flow planning and customer management, as well as delivery of consistently good quality fruit to ensure a sustainable return on this grower investment.

“Consumers worldwide are seeking out new and alternative healthy, nutritious foods, particularly in Asia where consumers are very conscious about their diet and wellbeing.

“Orchardists are recognising this as an opportunity to grow their businesses by replacing less productive trees with rootstock which, over time, will increase our national supply for export.”

AVANZA is New Zealand’s premium avocado brand in Asia.

Clonal rootstock is considered more tolerant to Phytophthora root rot which is the major limiting factor of production worldwide. Across the industry in New Zealand, efforts are also being made to lift production by investing in orchard research funded by the Government’s Primary Growth Partnership programme.

AVOCO exports about 80 per cent of its volume to Australia each season, with the rest shipped to a range of Asian markets under its AVANZA brand. Markets include Japan, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, South-East Asia, India, Taiwan and, since the 2018-19 season, China.

The AVANZA brand was developed in 2001 when market development in Asia first began. But since 2016, it has been 100 per cent owned by AVOCO and is the most recognised New Zealand avocado brand in Asia due to its longevity and established footprint in-market, achieved through extensive promotional investment over the years.

John says AVOCO functions to futureproof the New Zealand avocado industry through market diversification.

“While Australia has always been New Zealand’s biggest export market, as an industry we’ve taken up opportunities to diversify for our long-term success.

Exporting to markets outside of Australia through AVANZA allows us to do that.”

With changing Asian diets comes an appreciation for premium quality produce, says John.

“Asian markets are very diverse and are at various stages in their development cycles. Some require more education than others about how to ripen and prepare our fruit, for example.

“But we’re excited by the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead in 2020, in what will be our 20th season in Asia, a region ear-marked to receive greater volumes and a higher percentage of our pool volume in the seasons ahead.”

INTERESTING FACT: AVANZA uses promotional activity, such as avocado smoothie wagons, to promote its brand in Japan and demonstrate how avocados can be consumed.

An avocado tree can grow as high as 27 metres or more. They also do not self-pollinate. They need another avocado tree close by in order to grow.

LANDSCAPING PRODUCTS MADE FROM 100% RECYCLED UNTREATED WOODWASTE At Goodwood we are passionate about helping to preserve the planet for future generations by collecting untreated timber and preventing it from going to landfill - because doing good feels great!

We create products from 100% recycled wood sources: Coloured & Natural Garden Mulch, Horticulture Mulch, Bark Mulch and more.

Perfect for avocado and kiwifruit producers, animal bedding, landscaping, councils, schools and playgrounds.

Contact us today for a quote on product and delivery to you.

Let’s do good with wood! www.goodwoodnz.co.nz 0508 4 GOODWOOD (0508 446 639)

8

T&G there

from the start…

BY CAMERON SCOTT

to host 2023 WAC T he world’s leading avocado growers and specialists will descend upon New Zealand’s shores in 2023, for a once in a lifetime opportunity, after New Zealand won the bid to host the 10th World Avocado Congress (WAC).

T

urners and Growers involvement in the avocado industry dates to the days of the first commercial production in this country.

New Zealand was one of three countries to bid for hosting rights, and was up against Mexico, the largest avocado exporter in the world and Kenya, the sixth largest exporter of avocados globally.

The first grower the company was involved with was probably Gisborne identity Len Grey, in early 1960s, says former Turners & Growers managing director, Don Turner.

Attendees at the ninth WAC gave the nod to New Zealand, which contributes just 2 per cent of global production.

The first avocado exports organised by the company were in the mid-1970s to Australia and Japan, with the fruit consisting of the industry’s present-day mainstay, Hass.

In a video message, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern invited voters to come and experience New Zealand’s natural beauty, unique adventures, friendly people, and to see first-hand New Zealand’s incredible avocado industry.

“As with all fresh products, T&G knew the best growers and made efforts to develop markets for any possible NZ produce,” says Don, who was involved with the family business from an early age.

It will be the first time this global flagship event will be held in New Zealand.

“We used relationships with kiwifruit importers to try to introduce other New Zealand fruits.”

Former Turners & Growers managing director Don Turner.

When those first tentative exports were sent out of the country, no-one could have had any idea how vast the industry would became. It is remarkable, especially when Australia, with its own industry, has been such a huge part of the export market.

products came on to our auction floors nationwide.”

Don says New Zealand’s domestic market had a 50 per cent share of the annual avocado crop. “So all

New Zealand

Key pioneering growers he recalls from those days were Len Grey and Arthur Honeyfield, a well-known Katikati orchardist.

“Graeme Ross of Te Puke was another early growerand then came the bigger commercial players like Warren Young, Tony Ponder, Freshco and Primor.”

“We are incredibly proud to have won the votes of the global avocado community. It’s been an amazing team effort to put forward this bid, across the NZ Avocado team, Tourism New Zealand the New Zealand Embassy in Colombia and NZTE”, NZ Avocado CEO Jen Scoular said.

The World Avocado Congress, held every four years, represents an extraordinary opportunity for New Zealand to highlight the countries innovative avocado and horticulture sectors.

The World Congress attracts over 3,000 delegates including growers, researchers, marketers, tech innovators and investors. The congress will demonstrate New Zealand growing practises, food safety and quality systems, and ethical treatment of growers and communities that live in avocado growing regions.

“It is an amazing opportunity for all avocado growers in New Zealand to hear first-hand from avocado experts about current and emerging innovation and technology. And of course to network and share their avocado stories,” NZ Avocado Chair Tony Ponder said.

NZ Avocado’s bid was supported by Tourism New Zealand, the New Zealand Embassy in Colombia and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. The Ambassador in Colombia, Lucy Duncan hosted a VIP event and spoke at the Congress, strongly supporting New Zealand Avocado in their bid to win.

“Our amazing unspoiled landscapes, a reputation for openness, fairness and equality, and a commitment to care for land and people, provides an ideal environment for the global avocado industry to share its values with consumers and media around the world.” she said.

Specialised Work Platforms Ltd “Keeping Things on the Level”

Avocado Harvesting & Pruning Certified to 25° slope Takingbookings bookingsfor for2017/18 2020/21 Season season Taking For further information call 0800 100 442 or visit https://gypsum.co.nz/horticulture/avocado/

Mo: 027 544 2427

9

A prominent

name in the industry

BY CAMERON SCOTT

P

rominent in the avocado and kiwifruit industries as both a grower and packhouse operator, Katikati’s Hugh Moore, QSM (Queen’s Service Medal) is well known for his encyclopaedic knowledge and his forthright opinions.

The managing director of KauriPak has been involved in both industries at the highest levels, and has never been afraid to express his views on their current and future direction – or to fight for fairness and equity in the horticultural industry.

In his Kauri Point Rd office, surrounded by towering stacks of files on every aspect of horticulture in general and the kiwifruit and avocado industries in particular, he can look back on a challenging and sometimes tumultuous four decades in which he has achieved more than most people would in several lifetimes – driving the restructuring of New Zealand’s kiwifruit industry among them.

Blessed with a mind that seems to work at a million miles an hour and a nearphotographic memory, he is an avid devourer of reading material - and clearly, not much slips his mind. The mountains of files in his office aren’t there for show.

They’re an invaluable and unique resource going back decades, and Hugh is familiar with the contents of all of them. He also has a file of newspaper articles about the avocado industry going back 40 years.

Given his dedication to horticulture, it comes as a surprise then, to learn that he started his working life as an engineer. ‘‘I’ve been growing things since I was at least five and, at lunch time, used to go to the nursery to buy plants to take home in my school bag,” he told Elaine Fisher in a Bay of Plenty Times interview in 2010.

He did at least start work in an allied field: After leaving school he began an engineering apprenticeship with an agrihorticultural firm in Marton. The job involved travelling around the country, visiting growers and delivering equipment.

In March 1967 he delivered an onion harvester to Katikati. He took a look around, liked what he saw and eventually moved to live there.

To cut a long story short, in 1973, Hugh began working for Dorothy and Neville Morris on their Kauri Point property and bought his own orchard.

Neville died in 1978 and, eventually, Hugh and Dorothy married, combining both their properties into five orchards.

Hugh Moore in his office at KauriPak.

His vast KauriPak kiwifruit and avocado packhouse and coolstore began life as a humble chicken rearing shed and onion packhouse. Back then, the kiwifruit industry was booming and Dorothy and Hugh began packing fruit from other growers as well as their own. ‘‘We had about five growers but would have been lucky to pack 20,000 trays a season.

Today, we pack and store 600,000 avocados and store 300,000 trays of kiwifruit.”

At the time, small independent packhouses like KauriPak struggled against the might of the newly-formed co-operative, Bay of Plenty Fruit Packers. ‘‘Basically the co-op took all the resources of MAF which was supposed to monitor fruit quality. I wasn’t opposed to co-ops but I did object to what was happening,’’ said Hugh, who with many others, formed the Private Packers’ Association to fight for their rights to a share of MAF resources.

But it’s avocados we’re here to talk about.

There’s a quick chat about new varieties – and the difficulty of getting them on to the market. That leads to mention of the Hopkins variety which was grown in Katikati during the 1980s and a surviving tree which he says has been cut down “a dozen times,” but still survives. Named

and sold in New Zealand, it originated from seed imported in the 1940s, Hugh says. It was never registered, but became a prolific source of seed.

Mention of a one-metre-long South American variety in a Facebook news item prompts Hugh, who has travelled widely, to say it’s quite possible the monster fruit actually exists – and isn’t “fake news”.

“I’ve seen avocados so big if they fell out of a tree they’d do you some serious damage.

Once I saw some trees at a field day in Bundaberg, Queensland that had been fenced off with a warning sign – they were that big.”

Describing himself as an “average-size” avocado grower, he says one of the outstanding successes of today’s industry is that there are stringent controls around avocado standards and process.

“Marketing is not controlled, but grading, packing and varieties all are controlled, which results in a more uniform result for the international market.”

The biggest challenge for the New Zealand industry has been quality on the international marketplace as a result of rot problems in fruit. And because this is a wet country, it’s a challenge that isn’t going to go away, says Hugh.

“That’s where we want to focus researching new varieties for us. We want a variety that’s more tolerant to body rot. We’re not the only country that has rot problems. The majority have them, but in New Zealand, with our wet climate we have a higher proportion of it. Stem end rot can be a

problem too. In fact rot is the avocado industry’s achilles heel.

“Some tremendous research has been done worldwide, but they keep on coming up with the same answers – “spray copper, spray copper. Some fungicides are available but they’ve all got residue issues.

“The other one was sun blotch virus. We’ve had a battle for many years getting our fruit into Australia and that was one of their quarantine concerns. We’ve now been able to declare ourselves sun blotch-free, and we’re probably one of the few countries in the world that is.”

Hugh has fought battles on many fronts in his capacity as chairman of NZ Avocado, notably with the Australian avocado industry over stem rot and other issues, and he clearly relishes having emerged the victor in many of them.

“They’ve had about four attempts to stop us (from exporting avocados). It’s the most protected market in the world but it’s a market we rely on and we’re one of the few countries at this point of time allowed to export there. We’re very reliant on that marketplace and it’s a very high returning market.”

A member of the New Zealand Avocado Growers’ Association and New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers, Hugh has been a very active member of numerous horticultural groups at national and regional levels.

He was awarded one of the horticulture industry’s highest honours, the Bledisloe Cup, in 2008.

INTERESTING FACT: Spanish explorers arriving in Mexico during the 16th century survived on avocados and were the first Europeans to consume them. As a result of the Spanish Conquest, avocados spread to South America and Central America. Sadly, they had yet to learn how to make avocado toast.

Avocado seed was brought to New Zealand in the early 1900s and the industry has gradually developed to become New Zealand’s third largest fresh fruit export.

10

Smashing it together!

Proof is always in the pudding and after seven seasons, we reckon we’ve struck the recipe for success.

Our export marketing model combines the strengths of Southern Produce, Team Avocado Trust and Primor Produce, and recognises that the interests of growers and our avocado industry are best served when we work together.

We have one ambition – to maximise our combined marketing expertise to make New Zealand avocados the first choice for consumers in Australia and Asia. To achieve that goal, we consistently reward growers and give you the tools and advice to grow healthy trees that thrive, year in and year out.

Whether you’re an experienced grower or entering the industry for the first time, AVOCO has all your needs covered. ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `

Consistently strong OGRs Orchard technical advice and online resources Exclusive Facebook group for growers Grower newsletters News alerts Market updates Grower field days Biennial grower conference

As proven fruit marketers and technical advisors, AVOCO is with you every step of the way on your avocado growing journey.

Get in touch and discover how by working together, we create prosperity for all.

avoco.co.nz

11

Memories of

Gisborne’s heyday

BY CAMERON SCOTT

W

hile it’s not a significant production region nowadays, AVOCO’s marketing and communications manager, Steve Trickett, remembers Gisborne’s horticultural industry was once home to several successful avocado orchards.

His father, Bill Trickett, established a citrus and avocado orchard at Ormond in Gisborne in the early 1970s, with mentoring from some neighbouring early pioneer growers, namely Len Grey and Stan Green.

into a production-based evaluation to see what was best suited to New Zealand conditions, with Hass variety ultimately winning the race for commercialisation,” Steve says.

“I clearly remember the quite different tastes and textures of varieties such as Nabal, Sharwil, Susan, Bacon, Rolls Royce among others, and of course Zutano and Fuerte which became recognised as good pollinisers.”

Bill, who had come from a commercial importing background in his father’s business, travelled internationally through the 1960s and had discovered avocados as a consumer during visits to California.

“After tasting them in the US, he immediately wanted to grow them at home,” says Steve.

Bill was instrumental in working closely with then Gisborne MAF Advisory Officer Paul Pollock to negotiate quarantine protocols, enabling him and his peers to bring into New Zealand ‘indexed’ avocado rootstocks and a wide range of experimental varieties. He planted them on a five acre ‘trial patch’ at the bottom block of the family’s Sunhaven orchard, beyond the citrus blocks.

“As a kid I remember Dad bringing us fruit to try, so it was really an early stage consumer trial that eventually morphed

“Steve Trickett presents the Shanghai, China retailer famously known as “The Avocado Lady”, with New Zealand-grown “AVANZA”.

Photo by Sam Machell

Looking for the perfect hort tractor?

WE’VE NARROWED IT DOWN FOR YOU. John Deere 5 Series Specialty TractOrs Perfectly fit for the work you do, the 5 Series is your comprehensive range for specialty orchard and viticulture applications. Whether you work with sensitive fruit and vegetable crops or squeeze between narrow rows, the last thing you want to do is compromise.

Stop into your local Cervus branch today or visit us online to learn more.

bit.ly/Cervus5ENTractors

WHANGAREI - 09 438 7228 115 Kioreroa Road

5EN NARROW

SERIES TRACTOR

• • • • • • • •

High engine to PTO hp output On the Go Shifting Wet Clutch High pump capacity hydraulic system Premium Air Con system Overall min width from 1320mm Excellent visibility Double mid mount SCV valves w/ joy stick • Hydraulic Wet Disc Brakes • 75hp and 92hp options WAIPAPA - 09 407 0666 Klinac Lane

0800 333 734

CervusEquipment.co.nz

12

Early

growing days ‘pretty hectic’

BY CAMERON SCOTT

W

hen Doug Meehan says his involvement with the avocado industry goes back a long way, he’s not exaggerating.

The former kiwifruit orchardist and builder first began growing avocados 41 years ago in 1978, after being asked to set up an avocado orchard by a fellow Opotiki orchardist who was about to move to Australia.

This was just a year after Doug had moved to the area from Hastings and planted shelter and an interim crop of passionfruit on his new kiwifruit orchard in fertile Paerata Ridge, halfway between Opotiki and Ohiwa.

While kiwifruit occupied just 3.5ha of his 6.5ha property, it was big for those early days – when the fruit was just beginning to take off, and the horticulture industry was “pretty hectic”, says Doug.

Though he had originally intended to grow apples in the Hawkes Bay, the chance to set up a kiwifruit orchard on the East Coast, with plentiful fishing and diving opportunities nearby, proved irresistible.

“I had just planted my shelter when John Armstrong, who had kiwifruit orchard in Woodlands, asked if I’d be interested in setting him up with 5ha of avocados. I’d read a bit about avocados, but there wasn’t a lot of information available. Even the people at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) didn’t know much.

“I said I’d do it. But then I had to research how to grow them. I found information about growing in Israel, South America and South Africa, but of course New Zealand’s growing conditions are quite different. Anyway, I put some information together, then John phones me and says, “I’m going to Australia in three days – it’s all yours.

“The next thing you know, he’d gone.

“I was wondering what I’d gotten myself into. I planted half the block in FebruaryMarch 1978 and the rest in October. And that was the start of it all. Ninety per cent of the planting was Hass and the rest of the trees were pollinators. That was, and still is, the way to go.”

Fast forward to 1984, with the trees nearing full production and Doug and his cousin, Stuart Cater, went 50-50 in Armstrong’s avocado orchard, Doug providing the growing expertise.

STAY AHEAD OF THE PACK

“The trees were starting to produce a bit of fruit, but we had no packhouse, which was a problem.

“We thought we’d do the packing by hand ourselves, in my little kiwifruit packhouse.

There were no fruit graders or anything and my daughter Nicola packed the avocados by eye. She was very good at it.

“It was all pretty primitive. But we got there, and our first two and a half pallets of export fruit went to Perth. We got $60-$80 a tray, which was pretty good.

“We did the packing in my shed for another year. Then two local people – Ian Craig and Dave Emslie, revealed they were pulling out of the local growers’ co-op and setting up their own packhouse in the old dairy company building in Opotiki. They said they could pack for us.”

Through all this time Doug was not only running his kiwifruit orchard and growing avocados, but also plying his original trade as a builder. Many other horticulturalists were in similar situations and it was pretty tough, he says.

“Thinking about it, I don’t think people would be able to handle it today. It was a lot of work.”

Stuart Cater died in 2005, and his wife Karen decided to stick with the avocado business in the 50-50 orchard partnership the couple had with Doug.

Doug then set up an 8ha block on farmland next to the property. All went well for three seasons until a day he will never forget – August 15, 2011.

Avocado growing becoming a family occupation across the Bay of Plenty.

“We were set to have a great crop through the orchard when we were hit by a frost.

We lost 89 per cent of the fruit. All the buds were frosted, so we lost the next year’s crop as well.”

eventually finished us. The big operations packing 200,000 trays were paying the same amount as we were for packing much less. It just got too costly for the smaller operators.”

Earlier, he had gone 50-50 in another 4ha property in Tablelands in 2003, revitalising a “very rough” orchard.

In 2014, Doug finally hung up his work boots for the last time.

Doug then bought the small Thornton Packhouse at Te Kaha and packed avocados there for three seasons. In 1990 he leased Roger Clark’s packhouse in Verralls Rd, Opotiki.

“We packed Roger’s avocados as well as ours for 25 years. Of course, then we needed cool storage. We started out with three 7m containers. Then we built a 16 x 8m one and used that right up till I left the industry in 2013. I employed 15 very loyal workers and hired up to 25 at the peak of the season. We packed 15,000 to 20,000 trays a year, but rising compliance costs

“I was 71 and I said, “that’s it.”

He remains proud of his packing operations’ blemish-free record in the demanding Australian market, which earned him accolades from the industry.

At first he missed the camaraderie of the packhouse, but can look back happy that he ran an excellent packing operation and several successful avocado orchards.

“I enjoyed growing, though it was certainly challenging. In comparison, kiwifruit is a piece of cake. We had some good crops and I paid a lot of attention to soil nutrients.”

Though he’s been retired for over six years, Doug still takes an interest in the avocado industry and despite a couple of setbacks caused by health problems, says he’s almost as busy now as he was in his heyday.

He pays special tribute to his three sons, Tony, Gerard and Aaron who he says worked hard on the family’s three orchards, as did his late wife Kay, who sadly passed away in March last year.

INTERESTING FACT: Avocados are sometimes mistakenly identified as vegetables but they are actually fruits – berries, to be more specific.

An avocado contains almost 20 nutrients, is naturally low in sugar and one of just a few fruits that contain protein.

The expertise and experience to grow your avocado business all year round.

Call us for more information on (07) 573 0085

trevelyan.co.nz

13

Chair’s comment

Tony Ponder, Chair, NZ Avocado Growers’ Association I

t is refreshing to look back through this publication at just how far our New Zealand avocado industry has come, and reflect on some of the significant milestones that the avocado industry has achieved over the past 80 years since the superfruit was first grown and marketed here in New Zealand.

As the 7th Chair of the New Zealand Avocado Growers’ Association I am indeed delighted to contribute to the strategy for what is now a dynamic and flourishing New Zealand avocado industry. Our success in recent years can be attributed to those who undertook the hard graft in laying the foundations for the avocado industry in New Zealand.

Previous Avocado Growers’ Association Chairs have been responsible for the big decisions which have allowed avocados to go from a fruit bowl oddity in New Zealand to the amazingly versatile star ingredient they are today for families, fitness, and foodies all around the world.

The first meeting of the NZ Avocado Promotion Committee, later the Avocado Promotion Association, and the forerunner of today’s Avocado Growers’ Association, was held on February 11, 1980, but avocados had been in New Zealand for many years before a formal industry structure came into being.

Planting

Many of those mentioned above are life members of the NZAGA, along with Alistair Young of Katikati. Believe me, these people have dedicated a significant portion of their lives to ensuring we can all enjoy delicious avocados in abundance in New Zealand, and growers can enjoy the fruitful avocado industry we have today.

The list of challenges faced and overcome by these men is too long to document here, but between them they undertook the first structured promotion and consumer education of avocados by an industry body in New Zealand; successfully fought for market access into what is now our largest export market, Australia; invested boldly in consumer education around the health benefits of avocado; and set and managed the industry structure under the Horticulture Export Authority Act to allow New Zealand

to open and develop markets including the USA and many markets across Asia.

The two chairs before me were heavily involved in the establishment of the Primary Growth Partnership agreement with the Crown. Since 2012 this has enabled the avocado industry to generate a step change in overall industry value through investment into research and market development. When the programme began we were an $80m industry and we now average around $150m, with a record industry value in 2016 of $200m. During this time we have received market access to India and China, two of the world’s fastest growing large economies that are sure to shape our market development strategy over the coming decades.

This has generated a significant amount of investment from existing and new players back into the industry, and with close to 1,000 new hectares of avocados recently planted in New Zealand, we stand on the precipice of another period of significant change.

Like all primary industries in New Zealand, we could not have enjoyed our industry growth without the support of strong partnerships from New Zealand government and non-government agencies and I thank all those who have helped us along the way.

Tony Ponder, Chair NZ Avocado Growers’ Association and NZ Avocado Industry Ltd. As we look towards the future New Zealand’s successful bid to host the World Avocado Congress in 2023 is another major opportunity ahead of us. This event will bring the world’s best avocado researchers, marketers and investors to New Zealand to look at how we grow, pack and market avocados, in this unique and wonderful country.

for iwi’s future

F

ar North iwi, Te Runanga o NgāiTakoto, has started planting its new 20-hectare avocado orchard, Rakau Ora, in Kaitaia. The project is the result of four years of extensive planning, in partnership with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and key businesses in the horticulture sector.

“The orchard is a means to achieve our aspiration of using our Treaty settlement assets to build a strong economic base for our people,” says Rangitane Marsden, chief executive of NgāiTakoto.

“It will enable greater productive use of the iwi’s land and create new employment opportunities. This is a platform to begin the realisation of our vision, “If we live as we ought, we shall know things as they are, and if we see things as they are, we shall live as we ought”. It’s a tribute to our kaumātua and kuia who paved the way to settlement.”

Andrew McConnell, MPI’s Māori agribusiness director, says his team has partnered with NgāiTakoto as the iwi has progressed along the stages of the whenua development pathway.

“It is great to see the shelter up and plants in the ground. Rakau Ora is now set to achieve greater benefits for the NgāiTakoto people and will contribute value to Northland’s GDP (gross domestic product) too.

14

Our pioneering industry leaders helped grow this industry to New Zealand’s third largest fresh fruit export. The organisation’s first Chair, whose tenure ran throughout the 1980’s, was Graham Ross of Te Puke. Graham would have seen his fair share of guacamole dips and shrimp cocktails before passing the mantle on to Ron Bailey who led the industry from the late 1980s to 1999, when John White took over. Since early this millennium Hugh Moore, John Schnackenberg and Ashby Whitehead have all sat in the Chair’s seat.

“We are delighted the iwi is entering this high-value food sector. It’s an excellent example of promoting whānau development through whenua, as part of our strategy to grow our partnership with iwi and Māori landowners. They had all the right ingredients to make good use of what we could offer through the Māori Agribusiness Pathway to Increased Productivity (MAPIP) Programme. We’ve connected them with the right expertise.”

Iwi member Claire Tamati is the newly appointed trainee orchard manager. “This ties in with the iwi succession strategy,” says Rangitane. “We are placing some of our people with potential to be future business leaders in our enterprises so they can be mentored and gain experience.

“Twenty hectares is just the start,” he says. “We plan to expand this current platform with an additional 40 hectares over the next 2 years, and with a total potential to extend the orchard to 200 hectares over a planned 10 years.”

About NgāiTakoto

Te Runanga o NgāiTakoto is a Far North tribal authority that signed a Deed of Settlement with the Crown in 2012.

The redress from that settlement included land that NgāiTakoto is developing in the tourism and primary industry sectors, including horticulture, dairy farming and forestry.

Planting for iwi’s future - avocado planting at NgāiTakoto orchard.

The women

who make it work T

avocados bore fruit financially, Leonie still needed to work in town, fitting in tending to her burgeoning orchard before and after work.

Orchardist Leonie Batt’s avocado trees are nothing short of majestic. While women in the avocado industry are finding their space more and more, Leonie’s been at it pretty much from avocados’ infancy in New Zealand and is still going strong at 87 years old.

She gave up her accounting work at age 60 and these days she can still be found in the orchard. She’s an inspiration to the new generations of women dedicated to nurturing this incredible fruit. Leonie’s neighbour Sue Culham is included in those ranks. When Sue and her husband, Shane, and neighbour, Janice, started thinking about growing avocados, Leonie was the obvious choice for advice. After many years of setting up the property with her husband, Sue now runs the orchard.

here’s a moment Jen Scoular distinctly remembers in her second d year as chief executive of NZ Avocado – at a Katikati road show, she noticed the women in the audience numbered about half. “Women are often at least half of the people managing the orchard, but hadn’t always joined discussions about the industries future.

It’s so important that they do.”

Leonie’s story is remarkable. “I acquired a husband and five stepdaughters in 1962.”

The property she still lives at on Ngunguru Rd, near Whangarei, was originally a dairy, pig, sheep and cattle farm. Then her husband became ill with an incurable kidney disease. When Leonie chanced on a notice about a meeting of avocado growers she decided to go along. “They said two people could manage 10 acres.

I thought, ‘I could manage a certain area myself’.”

In 1983 she planted her first avocado trees. It wasn’t all smooth sailing from there. At that time, death duties were a source of anguish, rabbits had to be dealt with, cyclone Bola hit and until the

“This is my office,” Sue says as we take a walk through her orchard. Sue came from an accounting background and says at that time she had trouble keeping a houseplant alive. Which answers the question of whether or not you need to have a natural affinity for growing in order to make a success of it. “No, I don’t think so. I just upskilled – I went out and did my production management level 4 in horticulture.” Her flourishing orchard proves her point. “I have a passion for this industry. With avocados being a wonder-food, I think it’s just going to keep evolving.” She puts her money where her mouth is daily. “I have a smoothie every day so I put an avocado in there with other goodies,” she says.

Avocado research

R

and industry systems

esearch into the productivity of Hass avocados is a long game, one where New Zealand collaborates internationally and where information is shared.

NZ Avocado shares research projects and findings widely, through field days on orchards, the industry magazine AvoScene, our grower website, and events.

NZ Avocado imported 11 avocado rootstocks and fruiting cultivars in 2009, with an objective to find a cultivar more suited to New Zealand growing conditions. Many of those varieties are now commercially grown and industry trials continue to assess those varieties under New Zealand’s growing conditions.

The Ministry for Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) research steering group was formed to steer and review avocado research. This group is now reviewing progress on pest mating disruption, canopy management and tree architecture research projects.

New Zealand participates in an international research community which meets through different events including a global research brainstorming event and the World Avocado Congress.

New Zealand will host the next World Avocado Congress in 2023 and intends to showcase the sustainability of our industry across environmental, social and economic areas.

NZ Avocado manages the application and compliance of mandatory quality standards, a role led by Glenys Parton as Industry Systems Manager. “Maturity testing is required prior to harvest, and there is a minimum dry matter requirement of 24%. This ensures New Zealand avocados ripen well and deliver a delicious, creamy eating experience for consumers” says Glenys. “Growers must record all chemical use on their orchards in the industry spray diary, and random residue tests are undertaken by the industry and by individual exporters throughout the season. All avocados must meet AvoGreen standards, a programme unique to New Zealand which ensures responsible management of any destructive pests found in avocado trees.”

Plant and Food Research is an important research partner and recently led two important programmes for avocado research. The first, Avocados for Export, looked at productivity research across a wide range of factors including pruning, irrigation and effect of temperature on fruit set.

Another programme Bee minus to Bee plus, looked at the pollination requirements for avocados, including alternative pollinators, training bees and artificial pollination. This has led to the commercialisation of cheaper bumblebee hives and important learnings about avocado flowering and fruit set.

Northland growers Sue Culham and Leonie Batt.

Focus on quality

Glenys contracts an independent third party organisation to audit compliance to industry standards in the packhouse and each packhouse is required to meet Ministry for Primary Industries approved organisation (MAO) standards.

Research and systems - inspecting a tree.

The role of Industry Systems Manager is also to implement requirements in the supply chain to ensure only premium avocados are exported from New Zealand and reach the consumer in the best condition. A quality programme has implemented more than 12 projects concurrently, assessing, improving and updating best practice from nursery to market.

With an objective to improve our environmental footprint, New Zealand is seeking alternatives to chemicals used around the world for avocado pest control, more sustainable packaging options and more efficient use of transport and coolstorage.

These projects are part of long term planning for a sustainable and profitable avocado industry.

15

The growth in value of the

New Zealand avocado industry 4,000 4 ,00 ,00 000 00 hectares, hect hect he ctar cta ares are es, 4 nurseries, 1,400 es, exporters, growers, 13 packhouses, 11 expo 10 NZ marketers and 12 markets are just some of the numbers making up the New Zealand avocado industry.

Add to this, the people servicing the industry, those working in the packhouses, the research scientists, NZ Avocado board and staff, and it is starting to feel like an impressive industry. The industry has been export focussed, with over 65% of all avocados now exported and the remainder sold in the New Zealand market. NZ doesn’t import avocados due to the need for tight biosecurity protocols to prevent the import of pests of concern, so growers leave avocados on their trees for up to 18 months to ensure there are some available for New Zealand consumers in April and May each year.

The industry has built a very strong market for avocados from New Zealand in Australia, and recognises with increasing volumes and an increasing supply grown domestically in Australia, that new markets need to be developed in Asia.

New Zealand avocados are now exported to eight Asian markets, including Thailand, South Korea, Japan and Singapore.

Recent access to the Indian and Chinese markets allow further diversification, and sets the industry up for the future.

The chart shows the value of the industry from 1996, with the blue bars showing export earnings and the green bars showing the value of sales in the New Zealand market.

Amazing

Over this period volumes have increased, but the industry still faces a significant issue with variable yields resulting in very big swings, both up and down, in total volume. The NZ Avocado research programme is designed to improve the consistency of yield and to increase productivity per hectare.

The New Zealand market has enjoyed stellar returns, as the industry combines its knowledge, expertise and collateral to drive sales of our delicious, nutritious avocado. New Zealand consumers recognise the health benefits and the versatility of avocados, which can be eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as smoothies and snacks.

The industry has set audacious growth plans, with a model to 2040 for 10,000 hectares and net sales of $1billion.

We look forward to a collaborative industry striving towards those audacious goals.

INTERESTING FACT: “Avocado” isn’t the original name of one of New Zealand’s most popular fruits. Irishman Sir Hans Sloane called it an avocado in 1696 in a Jamaicanplants catalogue. He also named the avocado tree the “alligator pear tree.”

avocado nutrients

A

vocados have been renowned throughout history for powerful nutrient properties. Originally from Central America, Spanish conquistadors learned about the creamy fruit from the Aztec in the 16th century, taking note of its local status as both a delicacy and an aphrodisiac. In fact, the avocado gets its name from the Nahuatl word ahuacatl, which means “testicle.” To the Aztec, avocados were symbols of love and fertility.

Healthy fats

Today we know a lot more about the nutrient properties of this green superfood. Below are ten evidence based reasons for eating avocado every day.

Check out the NZ Avocado website for more information www.nzavocado.co.nz

Good source of fibre

Nutrient dense

Avocados are a nutrient-dense fruit that plays a major role in healthy diets, contributing 19 vitamins, nutrients and phytonutrients. Also, avocados are an excellent source of healthy monounsaturated fats, are cholesterol-free and have naturally low levels of sugar and sodium.

Good for the heart

As part of a healthy diet, avocados may play a role in helping to manage conditions such as high blood cholesterol, a risk factor for heart disease. These effects are primarily because of avocado’s low saturated fats and high healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat content.

16

avocados come from natural carotenoid pigments that are important for eye health.

Full of folate

Evidence indicates that avocados may be a unique nutritional food for pregnant and lactating women as they are a good source of folate and contain fibre, monounsaturated fats, and lipid-soluble antioxidants.

Perfect first solid food for babies There has been a steady rise in the popularity of adding healthy plant sources of fats such as avocado to well-balanced diets. In plant foods such as avocado, the majority of the fat is the healthy kind.

Avocados are a good source of dietary fibre. Insoluble fibre such as that found in avocados keeps bowel movements regular. Fibre may also play a part in weight management – eating fibre rich meals may have you feeling fuller quicker and reduce the amount you eat.

Packed with antioxidants

The antioxidants in avocados include vitamins C and E which are well understood to contribute to the reduction of tiredness, normal immune, brain and nervous system function, and give protection from free radical damage.

Eye health

Carotenoids in avocado may protect your eyes. Firstly, the vibrant colours of

Fighting fatigue

Avocados contain the B vitamins folate, B6 and niacin plus vitamin C for energy.

Eating a varied, healthy and balanced diet containing fatigue fighting nutrients such as those found in avocados can give your engine a much-needed boost.

Avocado’s smooth, creamy consistency, neutral flavour and excellent nutritional content makes it one of the first fresh fruits your wee one can enjoy. They are a great source of calories, high in healthy fat and help the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) from foods eaten with them.

Weight and Type 2 Diabetes management

Many studies show the benefits of regular avocado consumption on weight and Type 2 Diabetes including a lower likelihood of developing metabolic syndrome, weight loss including shedding extra kilos around the waist, and better appetite and blood glucose control.

INTERESTING FACT: The Aztecs believed avocados were so sexually powerful that virgins were banned from eating them.

Summer stunners -

Avocado recipes for your next BBQ These amazing avocado recipes care of NZ Avocado are sure to impress at your next gathering of friends and family. Check out www.nzavocado.co.nz for hundre eds more inspirational avocado recipes. Recipes created for NZ Avocado by fresh.co.nz

Green Avocado Shakshuka Shakshuka is a common Middle Eastern dish. It normally has a tomato base but we’ve included a mountain of fresh greens to make a nutritious and delicious Gree en Shakshuka. Perfect for a lavish breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Prep time: 5-10 mins

Cook time: 10-15 mins

Ingredients:

5 eggs (we love Woodland) ½ bag spinach leaves (we love The Fresh Grower) 3 baby leeks, sliced thinly (we love The Fresh Grower) 1 cup shelled edamame beans, thawed 1 cup frozen peas, thawed 1 tbsp butter (we love Anchor) 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (we love Olivado) 2 cloves garlic, finely diced 1 tsp cumin seeds Salt and pepper

Serves: 4

To Serve

2 tsp chilli flakes Handful of dill, roughly chopped (we love Superb Herb) 2 New Zealand Avocados, halved and sliced Crusty bread Butter (we love Anchor) We used a kale coloured Le Creusett Signature Shallow Casserole dish.

Method:

1. Heat olive oil and butter in a heavy based frying pan. Fry the leeks and garlic, until soft.

2. Add the cumin seeds to the pan and for a minute. Stir in the spinach, edamame e and peas and fry y for 1-2 minutes, until bubbling g and hot.

3. With a spoon make 5 wells for the eggs in the frying pan and crack the eggs in.

Cover with a lid and cook until the whites are cooked through. Sprinkle with sea a salt and pepper and take off the heat.

4. Serve with chopped dill, chilli flakes and sliced avocados. Eat hot with your favo ourite crusty bread.

BBQ Bun-less Veggie Burger This veggie burger is the sure to impress item at your next barbeque. Yes, even the non- vegetarians! Using the two tasty gourmet burgers as the bun, lovely combination of mushroom, avocado and re ed slaw fillings are sandwiched in between. Indulge in the veggie barbeque goodness!

Serves 4

Prep time 15 minutes

Ingredients: For the Bun-less burger: • 8 gourmet burgers(We love Bean Supreme) • Avocado cooking oil (we love Olivado) • 1 avocado (we love NZ Avocado) sliced • 4 large portobello mushrooms (we love Meadows) • 1 small onion sliced into rings • 4 slices cheddar cheese (we love Mainland) Tomato sauce (we love Chantal Organics) Mayonnaise

Cook time 15 minutes

For the Beetroot and Apple Slaw: • 2 medium beetroots, peeled and grated AZZ Z apples) • 2 apples, grated (we love JAZ • 1 cup shredded red cabbage, • 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar • 2 tsp raw organic sugar • 1 tbsp whole grain mustard • 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil • ½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped (we love Superb Herb) • ½ tsp sea salt • ½ tsp fresh ground black peppercorns

Sliced Gherkins to garnish

Method 1. In a large bowl, place beetroot, apple an nd red cabbage. Add, vinegar, sugar, mustard, olive oil and parsley. Combine well. Season to taste. Set aside until the burgers are ready. You can mak ke the slaw in advance and keep in the fridge.

2. Heat barbecue. Cook the veggie gourme et burgers, mushrooms and onion rings with drizzle of avocado cooking oil.

3. Combine tomato sauce and mayo. Set aside.

4. To assemble the burgers. First place a slice of cheese on a veggie burger.

Melt the cheese by placing it under the grill or heat in the microwave until melted. Smear some tomato mayo sauc ce, then layer with a mushroom, avocado slices, beetroot and apple slaw w. Spread some more tomato mayo sauce on another veggie burger then pla ace it on top of the burger stack sauce side down to complete the sandw wich.

5. Decorate with cooked onion slices and gherkins on top of the burger. Insert a skewer to keep it intact.

6. Enjoy!

17

Backyard nursery

no longer

BY CAMERON SCOTT

R

iversun Nursery managing director Geoff Thorpe was first introduced to avocados back in 1981 when he started a “backyard” nursery in Gisborne to supply a relatively small number of local growers.

That same year he was approached by Bruce Grey, a third-generation member of Gisborne’s avocado pioneering family, to find solutions for dealing with phytophthora, a soil-borne pathogen that infects trees, woody plants and even vegetables.

The following year Geoff began experimenting with the production of New Zealand’s first clonally-propagated avocado rootstocks, using the Duke 7 variety.

He says the rootstock, developed in South Africa, was the first to be selected for phytopthora tolerance and paved the way for the arrival of Dusa and Bounty 25 years later.

However, the Greys decided not to proceed with large scale plantings on Duke 7 rootstock, and Geoff suspended clonal propagation until more tolerant rootstock varieties could be developed.

For 25 years the industry continued planting new orchards on Zutano seedling avocado rootstocks, he says.

“By the late 1990s, however, it was clear that the Zutano rootstock was not an option for replanting and the industry began

investigating the feasibility of importing some of the exciting new rootstock varieties being developed in South Africa.”

In 2003, Riversun opened New Zealand’s only privately-run Level 3 quarantine - the government facility having closed two years earlier.

“This paved the way for importation of 120 new grapevine varieties and clones from 12 countries and four continents,” says Geoff.

Two years later, then New Zealand Avocado chief executive Jonathan Cutting approached Riversun regarding access to the company’s quarantine facility for avocado material.

Together with the late Dr Rod Bonfiglioli, Geoff travelled to South Africa in 2006 to collect material for 11 new varieties, and these went into Riversun’s quarantine facility early that year.

NZ Avocado set up a number of trial plantings in sites heavily infected with phytopthora to allow the industry to assess the performance of all the new fruiting cultivars and rootstock varieties.

Riversun’s avocado importation programmes paved the way for a major change in the New Zealand avocado industry, giving growers access to a range of exciting new fruiting cultivars and phytopthora tolerant rootstocks - notably Dusa, Bounty and Latas Maluma and Carmen Hass.

In 2008 Riversun delivered their clients with the first-ever Hass trees grafted onto the

Star 3080 75HP, 4 cylinder.

4WD. Low seat height, best priced tractor in the market.

Quasar 90 Super low.

90HP, 4 cylinder. 4WD. Super low seat height.

49,900

$

1/3*

deposit + all GST

1/3*

in 12 mths

1/3*

in 24 mths

interest

Contact us for more information and your nearest dealer. p: +64 7 573 8132 e: info@agtek.co.nz www.agtek.co.nz *Terms & conditions: Only available while stock lasts, subject to change without notice. Photo may show optional extras.

18

+GST

An aerial view of Riversun’s potted plant nursery in Matawhero, Gisborne.

Dusa rootstock variety. Sadly, the arrival of the global financial crisis in 2008 saw banks withdraw much of the development funding to the New Zealand horticulture and viticulture industries, says Geoff.

Riversun’s Level 3 quarantine facility closed in 2009 and no further varieties have been imported since.

“The hoped-for benefits from Dusa and Bounty have become very clear with the passage of time – especially phytopthora tolerance and uniformity of growth etc.

“Today Riversun is one of only a handful of the world’s several hundred avocado nurseries now working at clonal avocado propagation.”

“There is currently no space available in MPI’s L3 quarantine facility in Auckland and the avocado Import Health Standard is also under review, so it is unlikely that any new imports will be available to growers before 2025,” says Geoff.

By 2014, however, demand for grafted avocado trees had returned with a vengeance. Geoff says Riversun has been scaling up to support that demand ever since.

“Today 70 per cent of New Zealand avocado nursery production is on clonal rootstocks and seedlings are only being planted on the very best free-draining soils.

Riversun Nursery managing director Geoff Thorpe.

OUR JOURNEY TO WORLD-CLASS AVOCADO TREES

RIVERSUN POTTED PLANT NURSERY GISBORNE

Starting out as a one-man band in Gisborne nearly 40 years ago, the reputation of Riversun Nursery has been forged through our commitment to the propagation of world-class grafted grapevines, kiwifruit vines and avocado trees.

1981

GRAFTED FIRST AVOCADO TREES IN BACKYARD

1982

LAUNCHED RIVERSUN NURSERY

1983

FIRST TRIALS PROPAGATING DUKE 7 CLONAL ROOTSTOCK

2003

OPENED NZ’S FIRST PRIVATE L3 QUARANTINE FACILITY

2006

IMPORTED DUSA®, BOUNTY® AND LATAS® CLONAL ROOTSTOCKS

2008

DELIVERED FIRST AVOCADO TREES ON DUSA® ROOTSTOCK

2010

DELIVERED FIRST AVOCADO TREES ON BOUNTY ® ROOTSTOCK

2014

RAMPED UP PRODUCTION TO 100K+ TREES PER ANNUM

2020

DEMAND FOR CLONAL AVOCADO TREES CONTINUES TO GROW

FREECALL 0800 11 37 47

FIRST 12-18 MONTHS IN THE NURSERY

TREES ARE GROWN IN STRICTLY CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENTS

RIVERSUN.CO.NZ TREES PACKED FOR DISPATCH

19

Just

Avocados A

vocado packer and exporte er Just Avocados has been around d for nine years, but its history and development go back much further than that.

Its founder, Katikati local Andrew Darling has been a horticultural enthusiast since the 1980s.

Andrew was involved through the industry’s formative years as a grower, a packer, and exporter, and at the political end on the NZ Avocado board as both a grower and an exporter representative and as chairman of the Avocado Exporters’ Council.

Over the past 20 years he has seen change and progress in the New Zealand avocado industry but also stagnancy in some areas. He is passionate about ensuring that Just Avocados is involved in the step change required for the industry to remain sustainable into the future.

“I started out in the kiwifruit industry in the early 80s and worked my way into ownership in kiwifruit packing and cool storage,” says Andrew.

In the mid-90s he purchased an interest in Country Coolers, a kiwifruit packing and coolstorage business, and in 1997 this business merged with Reawood Coolpack, a similar sized packing and cool storage business, to form Bridgecool, all based in Katikati.

Andrew became the chief executive of the newly-formed business which would go on to incorporate Globalfresh NZ to export avocados and class 2 kiwifruit to Australia.

“My exposure to avocados began through investment in Reawood who were one of the avocado packers of the time.

“It wasn’t a big part of the business, but it was an exciting part of the business in that it was different and it was a new commodity that not a lot was known about from a consumer perspective.”

Andrew says at the time, the avocado industry was a cottage industry made up of lifestyle growers predominantly in the Bay of Plenty, with some orchards starting to expand into Whangarei and the Far North.

“Most of the orchards that supplied the industry were owned by those who had off-orchard income and there weren’t many, if any, large-scale orchards.

“The formula of the day was around 180 trees per hectare at spacings of 7.5m x 7.5m with the plan to thinning them out to 15m x 15m at year seven or eight.”

Andrew says the avocado industry was immature and not much was known about growing avocados.

“There were varied shapes and sizes of orchards and tree planting densities and the trees became quite big and wieldy. We didn’t understand or know much about pruning.

“Growers rolled with the irregular bearing nature of the tree and when there wasn’t a crop often no inputs were used, which isn’t healthy for the tree.”

Andrew and wife Jo became avocado growers in 1998 with investment in a small orchard at their home in Katikati and further investment in a 11ha orchard in Matata with Andrew’s brother.

20

INTERESTING FACT: Avocado fruit and oil make an effective hair or skin mask and can help to repair dry hair and moisturise the skin.

In 2004 Andrew became involved in the NZ Avocado Growers’ Association as an elected At Large Grower Representative – a position he held for five years before becoming an exporter representative.

“I was keen on grower politics, I wanted to be involved and I was interested in the science the industry was investing in to help us know more about avocados and grow them better.”

When Andrew first become involved on the NZ Avocado Board, the industry was looking to invest in science and genetics to address the challenges of growing avocados.

“Pruning wasn’t promoted or developed in the early years – instead we looked at nutrition and learnt a lot about tree phenology and the general requirements of macro nutrients and effects of micro nutrients and temperature around pollination.

“We were challenged then as we are challenged today with alternate bearing and production and so profitability was marginal and was not being analysed that well or that closely.”

In the mid-2000s, consumer demand for avocados internationally started to grow.

Andrew Darling, managing director of the Darling Group, at Just Avocados’ packhouse.

Fruit exported from New Zealand at that time was largely going to Australia.

The company has reached a number of milestones in recent years.

“There was growth in returns in Australia through retail and consumer education changed – something in which the industry body had a part to play. There was an obvious opportunity to be growing avocados commercially and so we saw more investment and larger plantings going in.”

“We have our own warehousing, coolstorage, sales and third party logistics business in Brisbane (JH Leavy & Co) which is involved in a wide range of produce, we have our own vendor code in Australian retail, we have developed a branding strategy for our avocados and a model to deliver 12 months’ supply of avocados into Asia - which is necessary to build a sustainable and relevant international brand. And we have invested heavily and will continue to invest in orchards and large scale greenfield developments in New Zealand.”

With advances in growing practices, plantings and consumer demand, New Zealand avocado volumes grew and with packing facilities shared across kiwifruit and avocados. Andrew saw that at times the two conflicted – with avocados losing out.

Seeing an opportunity to better serve the avocado industry, Andrew founded Just Avocados in 2010 with three other shareholders.

“Our strategy was to be focussed on avocado growers and be avocado specific, so we set up a dedicated avocado-centric business and hence the name, Just Avocados.

“We bought a small packhouse in Woodland Road (Katikati)that had been redundant from the kiwifruit era and we reinvigorated the machinery and spent capital on cool storage. We were, as we still are now, an integrated business involved in growing, packing and exporting avocados.”

Since that time, Andrew and wife Jo have bought out the other shareholders out and Just Avocados has become a family business, part of their larger international produce business, Darling Group which incorporates, Avoworks, JH Leavy and Co, various orchard investments and a shareholding in Zeafruit.

Andrew says the company is involved in avocados for the long haul.

“Just Avocados, like the other packers and exporters in the industry have a loyal following of growers and we are genuinely passionate about advancing their interests,” he says.

“We have no designs to grow the business to exit it.

“We get involved in every aspect of the avocado industry that we can and we add value politically or otherwise.

That is illustrated with my son Jacob now taking up a political role on the NZ Avocado board.”

Consistency key to growth

For the New Zealand avocado industry to be a sustainable and profitable in the future, it needs a consistent supply of avocados.

And for that to happen, growers need to shift their mindset, says Just Avocados founder and managing director, Andrew Darling.

“The challenge we have is that we haven’t actually advanced in our ability to produce a consistent volume of avocados for 20 years - and it is quite concerning.

“We also see growers chasing dollars in Australia post-Christmas and not understanding the cost of getting that fruit to that time of year - lost fruit, maturing fruit, colouring fruit, fruit quality issues in the market, and most important, impact on return crop.

“Until there is a step change in people’s philosophy around harvesting early and the link to better production, the industry will continue to have the same outcomes.”

Andrew says there are growers with an early harvest strategy who are using new genetics and applying “smarts” around tree height, plant growth regulators and fertigation, who are producing consistently and are commercially profitable.

“Moving forward, as the market becomes fuller of fruit from other producing nations, the price point will be lower on the sale and the business will be about scale, volume and managing costs to ensure sustainability of profits.”

Just Avocados has a focus on production for the future with its growers, who are spread from the Bay of Plenty to the Far North, and is sharing technical information with them on how to grow more fruit.

“We are investing in new technology, new growing methods, and new large-scale plantings with new genetics and high density because we see that is the way of the future. And we are encouraging our growers to take on our learnings.

“We need to do things differently than we are doing currently.”

INTERESTING FACT: Desperate to ripen your avocado quickly? Bananas to the rescue! Put your avocado in a brown paper bag with a banana or two. The bananas will release ethylene gas, a natural plant hormone that helps to ripen fruit. Apples have the same effect.

Humble

beginnings I ts beginnings might have been humble e, but Apata Group Ltd can now claim to o be among the giants of New Zealand’s avocado industry.

Managing director Stuart Weston says Apata started packing avocados in 1990 but over the previous seven years, the first export trade was established by Jack and Bette Crozier, who started the Skylark Brand.

This photo, showing the late Jack and Bette Crozier and John Carroll from Primor Produce Ltd, appeared in the Bay of Plenty Times back in the early days of the Apata Group’s founding years.

Today, the large scale AVOCO collaboration, involving over 60 per cent of New Zealand’s exports, still uses the Skylark brand for export avocados to Australia.

The Croziers planted an avocado orchard in 1979 in Prestidge Road, Katikati, and it expanded quickly to a commercial venture when packing began in a shed Jack built specifically to grade avocados. He quickly got neighbouring growers on board, but his small packhouse couldn’t handle the increasing volume of fruit being produced and they decided to integrate the packing with what was then Apata Coolstores Ltd. John Carroll of Primor was already exporting product for Jack and Bette, and once Apata took over the packing, it was the beginning of a powerful relationship between Apata and Primor that has contributed to the strength of today’s rapidly growing industry.

“Apata has always packed the lion’s share of the Bay of Plenty avocado crop and our strength lies in planning and our ability to get the crop off and having a standalone avocado business, separate to kiwifruit, so we can focus on our existing growers and potential growth for the company,” Stuart says.

Apata Group forklift driver Steven Thomson with another load of avocado trays, ready for the market.

Apata was the first avocado packing company in New Zealand to install a water blaster to enable export to the United States and the first growers who exported to the US received payments of $21 and $23 dollars per tray, which was exceptional for the time.

“Water blasters quickly became a prerequisite for access to all export markets due to their ability to remove pests, pollen and enhance the visual appearance of the avocado,” says Stuart.

“Next year Apata will celebrate 30 years of packing avocados - and celebrate we will!”

“Apata is still a driving force for improvement and is currently trialing Controlled Atmosphere storage of avocados to extend fruit life.

“Packing avocados for growers is challenging and rewarding. We meet a wide range of people who all have a story, and that’s what makes our job interesting.”

Sue Hodson pictured in front of a colourful Apata Group promotional sign with the legend, “The Best Hands in the Business.”

Grading avocados for packing calls for special skills.

Apata Group employs a large number of people during the avocado packing season – and they’re a happy-looking bunch!

Stuart says Apata has come so close to packing one million trays of export fruit in a season twice now.

“Maybe in our 30th year we will reach our target export million tray mark.”

The company rebranded to become Apata Centrepac and in 2000 expanded North to pack avocados and kiwifruit for growers in Whangarei and the Far North for 11 years.

“It was a time of growth and challenge and fun. Relationships forged during this time are still strong today despite Apata consolidating back to the Bay in 2012,” says Stuart.

This consolidation was due in part to the merge of Aerocool Ltd and Apata in November 2013 which is now Apata Group Ltd. Packing of avocados continued on both sites until 2015 and since then avocados have been packed in the Coast packhouse at Turntable Road.

hops is a brand new, modular orchard automation solution built on a proven platform. hops takes everything you could ever want to know about your orchard, and makes it available on any device, anywhere, any time.

• Orchard information at your fingertips • Manage orchard operations and activity • Track time spent on orchard tasks • GAP compliance made easy • Data analytics • And so much more!

www.hops.technology 21

From one

grower to 400

BY CAMERON SCOTT

T

he Pole to Pole group has come a long way in the avocado industry since starting out with just one grower 15 years ago.

Growth since then has been huge, and Pole to Pole now has 400 growers on its books, says director Todd Abrahams.

been in the industry for over 30 years, while others are just starting out on their journey.

“We have the pleasure of working with many growers, some who have been growing for over 30 years, and some who are just starting their journey,” says Todd.

The business started in Te Puke in 2005 as a domestic marketing company.

“We have seen much change and like many others involved in the avocado industry, we have had to move and adapt to grow together with our suppliers.

“It was an extension of our family’s original business, which involved growing and packing kiwifruit in Te Puke from 1981,” says Todd.

“This has involved us leasing and managing orchards, extending our packing operation, establishing an export business and partnering with others.”

Led by Todd and his wife Julia, the company is focused on excellent relationships with its growers. Some have

Pole to Pole is now a fully vertically integrated fresh fruit company with its main offices and packhouse in Katikati.

Fruit-focused festival

I

t’s plenty of fun – and it’s a great promotional event for the Bay of Plenty’s avocado industry.

The first Avocado Food and Wine Festival was held at the Uretara Domain in January 2004. It was the brainchild of Katikati Pakeke Lions Club members David Crispin and Bruce Robinson who set up the Katikati Funfest Charitable Trust in 2003, with the intention that the Pakeke Lions Club manage and run the event. The Club had little resources but managed to scrape together $3000 to feed the event and obtain the loan of the stage truck from Aongatete Coolstores, the mobile stage from Tina Peet, who ran a dancing school

at that time, and countless commitments from local artists, and suppliers for free or reduced costs for their services. Never the less the costs for the day’s event was $24,500.

The organising committee arranged for eight wineries and about a dozen food stalls for the day and an entertainment programme lasting from 11am till 5pm including Dr Jazz who was popular at that time as the major attraction.

The Club collected all seating and outdoor tables, gazebos and umbrellas from members and friends as hireage was not affordable. The cavalcade of trailers also returned all the gear after the event.

Jacqui Knight loves the Avocado Fest, seen here with the lollipop girls.

Photo Chris Steel

Roger Stiles (left) with the dedicated Pakeke and Lions Club members at the Avocado festival. Photo Chris Steel

22

INTERESTING FACT: The earliest use of avocado found by archaeologists dates back to 7,000 years BC in Peru.

The company is active in industry governance forums including Avocado Exporters (AVEC), NZ Marketers group and the NZ Avocado Packer committee.

“We regularly communicate with our growers and provide their voice to these forums. We have the strong belief that every piece of fruit counts,” says Todd.

“Along with increased demand and a surge in global interest which has seen avocados become a staple ingredient on menus around the world, we are seeing a lot of investment in Australasia in avocados.

“As this happens it brings both exciting opportunities and its share of challenges.

One of the exciting opportunities is the growth we have experienced in both the New Zealand and Australian markets for

consumption which continues to grow year-on-year.

As growers, Pole to Pole face pressure with rising labour and compliance costs and must continue to innovate, Todd says. “This is what drives our team forward, as we can see some great future opportunities in the avocado industry.

“We are growing as an industry and the Avocado Council which governs it has continually grown and adapted to change.

“The association has continually adapted to meet the needs of its grower members, with aspects including best practice growing methods, international social media campaigns, market access and changes to governance structures to ensure the organisation remains relevant for all New Zealand avocado growers.”

plenty of fun Over 1000 people attended that first festival and a modest profit of just under $5000 was made, but the feedback was such that the club decided to make the festival an annual event, so this one will be the 16th.

Over the next few years, Bruce Robinson - who was a master at fundraising approached various charities which enabled the club to buy much of the current tables, chairs, gazebos, electrical cabling, shade tents, umbrellas and the like. He also arranged for the purchase of two 40’ containers and with Val Baker of Baker Timber Supplies, a corner of their yard to set up the containers to provide

convenient storage and access to the Uretara Domain. Prior to that storage was off-site necessitating endless trailer trips to bring and return the gear for each event.

To date, it’s estimated that in excess of $200,000 has been returned to the Katikati community and other charitable causes from the proceeds of this event.

As the complexity of running the event increased, the Pakeke Lions Club teamed up with the Katikati Lions Club to assist, and latterly Katch-Katikati became involved as well, in what is now a truly annual community event.

Kiwi icon Annie Crummer received plenty of applause at the 2018 festival. Photo Chris Steel

The sassy Beat Girls rockin’ it at the Avocado Food and Wine Festival in January 2019. Photo Chris Steel

Chef Shane Yardley during a cooking demonstration shows the result - smoked Akaroa salmon with wasabi caviar and avocado and jalapeno mousse.

Photo Chris Steel

49 years in the

industry, and counting…

BY CAMERON SCOTT

O

ne of the most experienced and knowledgeable growers in the Bay of Plenty, Ron Bailey began his involvement with avocados in 1976 when he planted the first trees on his Rangiuru dairy farm.

Forty-nine years later, he’s still active in the industry - particularly on the political side, and shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.

He started out by gradually planting 500 trees on a 4ha block on the farm over several years, and recalls it was tough going at times.

“Getting trees was hard and very little nursery product was available. We ended up digging up seedlings growing under a farmer’s tree and transplanting them.

“Then we found a South African guy who knew about grafting and over the next few years we grew seedings and grafted them ourselves. Next, we started our own nursery, but then we had to pack the fruit too, so we adapted our kiwifruit packhouse and bought a grader to suit both avocados and kiwifruit.

“We also needed to market them and we got together with another grower, Alistair Hawkey and formed Bay Farm Avocados.

The company is still going and now has 150 growers, with Trevelyan Packhouse running it on a contract basis.

“It was all pretty much ‘self-help’ back in those days. If you wanted something

done, you just got in and did it. It’s safe to say there was a fair bit of trial and error.

“Later I was persuaded to represent the Bay of Plenty on the Avocado Promotion Association and became chairman – and that’s how I got involved on the political side.”

Looking back, Ron says it’s great to see how the industry has evolved and grown.

“Getting structures in place to regulate it was interesting, because growing avocados was basically a lifestyle thing back then.

“We set up legislation and then had to persuade growers that the industry would be unsustainable if marketers were competing against each other. We created legislation for licensed exporters and it has served us pretty well. But now the increased volume of fruit is starting to impact on the industry - and starting to impact on grower returns significantly.

“Back in the 80s when kiwifruit production exploded, the free market model struggled to cope with the sheer volume of fruit in the marketplace. It required a change, and my view is that avocados are moving into that same kind of era.

“There are still 12 or 13 exporters in New Zealand and a lot of new planting based on commercial opportunity, involving conversion of pastoral land.

“And now we’re facing international competition. New Zealand exporters aren’t only competing with each other, but with the big boys internationally.

“I believe the next set of challenges for the industry will come up as early as next year.”

Ron says the free market works well when there’s a balance of supply, but when volume increases dramatically, a regulated approach is needed.

“And shipping is going to be interesting, with bigger ships delivering product around the world. The challenge will be to get fruit on to the market in good condition. We can’t become suppliers of poor-quality fruit.

“Up to this stage we’ve been able to get good value from the market, but there is a risk of that scenario changing as we compete with international players.”

Ron says he has always been interested in the political side of the avocado industry.

“My family are all involved in running the farm and orchards, so that’s an area in which I can continue. I enjoy working with people on a political level. I guess it provides a bit of intellectual stimulus.

Ron Bailey Meanwhile, he and his family have continued to expand their horticultural operation “in a small way,” now growing 15ha of avocados and about 20ha of kiwifruit. Twenty years ago he brought a neighbouring property with the idea of growing both crops and running cows on land that wasn’t suited to horticulture.

“One thing I try to get across is that the industry needs to learn from the past, where appropriate.”

Son Steven looks after the dairy farming side of the business, managing 300 cows, while Chris is the horticultural production manager and daughter Karen handles administration.

Along with industry veterans Hugh Moore and John Schnackenburg, Ron is a member of the AVOCO grower relationship committee.

Ron says his own role is meant to consist of “attending meetings and going fishing,” but admits the latter doesn’t get much of a look-in

“We bring a lot of years of experience,” he says.

“There’s always something else that needs doing.”

ED

RIPEN

HA S

S

A V O ADO C

P: 027 597 4726 | E: glen@ @zeafruit.co.nz | www.zeafruit.co.nz

23

Avocado orchards

in demand up North

BY CAMERON SCOTT

T

here’s an avocado-growing boom happening in the Far North, with huge areas being planted by deeppocketed corporate interests.

At the same time, medium-sized orchards are also in big demand from growers outside the area, as well as from buyers who are excited about the avocado industry’s potential as an investment.

Rural property specialist Vinni Bhula of Bayley’s Whangarei is the man with a finger on the pulse of the growing scene in the Far North and Whangarei, and he says what’s happening in the Far North, particularly, is amazing.

“We’re seen corporate investment not just in existing orchards of around 20ha, but in new plantings of up to 400ha, and there are even more developments happening.

It is very exciting.”

The explosion of new plantings has been four years in the making, and they’ve accelerated even further in the last couple of years, Vinni says.

The Far North has long been noted for its early season production, and with its free-draining soil, which in places almost resembles beach sand, the area provides the ideal environment for avocados.

Thanks to average annual temperatures of 16.2C soils tend to heat quickly in winter and growers are able to enjoy

relatively consistent avocado production from year to year, Vinni says. That’s in contrast to other areas in New Zealand, where a good crop one year is frequently followed by a light one the next.

Vinni says an interesting feature of the bigger new avocado orchards is their high-density plantings of new clonal rootstocks which are of high vigour and produce at an earlier age.

“In a typical conventional-style avocado orchard you’ll reach peak production in around eight years, whereas with the dense plantings here it is more like four to five years.”

Many of those who have bought Far North avocado orchards over the last few years are from outside the region, he says.

Also notable is the difference in size between the average Far North planting at 20ha and Whangarei, with its slightly less favoured climate, at 4ha.

“So of course there’s a huge difference in the size of production between the two areas. Whangarei tends to attract growers such as retired farmers, or people from Auckland who have retired and see growing avocados as providing a good lifestyle.

“In the Far North, many buyers are looking to diversify their existing farming portfolios.”

He says newcomers seem to be getting into the industry with eyes wide open.

He deals with a large range of wouldbe buyers and says that rather than just

Because history matters We’ve been part of the Far North’s avocado growing community for 30 years and, with your support, we reckon we’ll be around a lot longer.

Far North Packers was set up in 1989 by the late Jim Clark, a pioneering grower and industry mover and shaker. The story goes that he either lost a bet or drew the short straw at one of the local grower meetings. Either way, building started shortly afterwards and we’ve been family owned and operated ever since.

Since then, we’ve built a reputation for serving the region’s best growers. Our long history and strong local presence is proof of our unwavering commitment to the industry.

With ongoing investment in the business, coupled with a desire to contribute to the region’s success, we’re well positioned to continue serving Far North growers for another three decades.

24

This 29.78ha orchard in the Far North is being marketed as the largest and most modern clonal avocado orchard ever to be offered to the market. There are 5,300 trees on the property.

being attracted to avocados by last year’s high prices, they tend to be well informed.

“Quite often they have friends who are growers.

“The situation regarding infrastructure such as packhouses and coolstores could prove interesting as an enormous amount of new fruit comes on to the market in the next few years. But major industry players are leading the way forward with new investment into infrastructure to process the estimated increase in production that is expected to come on stream.”

The area’s water supplies are a concern, but the corporate growers seem satisfied the Northland Regional Council and the government’s multi-million dollar investigation into water storage and water use options will ultimately result in a solution, and are pushing on, he says.

In September this year, the NZ Herald reported that two studies co-funded by the council and the government, had identified about 6300ha of land, some of which could be suitable for conversion to “high value” horticulture in the Kaipara area, as well as 1600ha south of Kaikohe and 1700ha west of Lake Omapere.

Northland Regional Council chief executive Malcolm Nicolson said initial indications were than with the availability of a secure water supply, horticulture and supporting industry could ultimately create hundreds of jobs and boost Northland’s economy by tens of millions annually.

“Northland has a lot of water, but not always at the right time, and a lot of it comes at once. This project is about collecting water and making it available when it’s needed.”

New plantings a hefty

boost for industry

BY CAMERON SCOTT

M

ore than 1000ha of new avocado orchards have been planted over the past three years in the Far North, Whangarei, Kaikohe and Kaipara areas.

When the new plantings reach full production, they will give a hefty boost to the industry’s stated aim of lifting avocado sales to $280 million by 2023.

The new plantings typically involve clonal rootstock trees planted far more intensively than in conventional avocado orchards in other parts of New Zealand, as well as orchard ownership by corporate groups and syndicates.

Historically, the majority of avocado orchards in the north were relatively small plantings, established by pioneering growers in the area, with packhouses handling both avocados and kiwifruit.

Alistair Nicholson, Far North director on the NZ Avocado board and a director of Valic NZ, says while avocado orchard development is continuing apace.

Valic NZ bought NZ’s largest avocado business, King Orchard, in 2015, and the company has 100,000 trees in the Far North, most of them Hass.

The impact on the domestic and international markets of a vast increase in production has some industry commentators concerned, but Alistair says New Zealand’s avocado production

INTERESTING FACT: Avocado oil has the highest smoke point of 271.111C.

is in fact “a drop in the bucket” on the global scene.

Australia is the biggest market for New Zealand avocados, but with pressure on Australian prices due to increased production there, South-East Asia, NorthEast Asia and China have the most obvious export potential, as they are all markets the New Zealand fruit can reach, he adds.

“We can’t send avocados to Europe because as soon as an avocado is picked, it’s on a journey to ripen. You can’t stop the process like you can with other fruit like kiwifruit and apples, and avocados have just an eight-week shelf life.

“Those countries have half the world’s population and only 5 per cent eat avocados. The Asian market will grow to at least double-digit figures, around 15-20 per cent.

“There are periods in the market where our producers don’t have competition and they will get premium prices. Other times prices might be lower – it depends on the season.”

with us for a while and whose lives have changed in terms of their financial ability.”

Māori landowners are also understood to be investigating sustainable horticultural ventures that could create much-needed jobs in the Far North, and Alistair says he knows of two or three iwi groups looking closely at avocados and other crops.

“These developments employ 70 people plus an additional 30 contractors from local communities, including local iwi” says Ian. Developers are working with the Primary Industry Training Organisation to utilise training schemes and deliver horticulture apprenticeships, with five levels of career progression available for employees.

“I think horticulture will transform the region economically. In our own operations we’ve already seen a difference in the people who have been

AVOCADO OIL IS SIMPLY SMASHING!

Ian Broadhurst has been managing the development of hundreds of hectares of new avocado plantings in Northland.

The developers pay for workers’ training, upskilling the community

Grove Extra Virgin Avocado Oil is highly nutritional 100% natural cold pressed oil, produced by Avocado Oil NZ from naturally ripened Hass avocado. The oil of this green, fleshy fruit is next-level nutritious and more stable to cook with than its shelf-mates – olive oil and coconut oil, kicking off a small but rapidly expanding market for the world’s new “healthy oil.

Packing a healthy punch, Grove avocado oil is brimming with antioxidants, beneficial fats, vitamins and minerals. Our oil’s nutritional benefits include assistance to reduced cholesterol, aids to a healthy heart and digestive system, along with monounsaturated fats that assist with wound healing; it keeps your skin naturally hydrated and looking great!

Our oil’s very high smoke point makes it a perfect choice in your kitchen every day of the week.

on top of providing employment opportunities. Ian says in Northland avocados are not just creating jobs, they’re creating a reason to get your life and career on track.

Meanwhile, horticultural infrastructure development in the region is also going ahead, with Seeka reconstructing and opening a new $20m pack house at Waipapa last year.

That facility will also handle avocados, citrus and berry fruit. In 2018, Seeka paid $40m for the Kerikeri holdings of T&G Horticulture and is understood to be redeveloping and selling nine orchards with a total area of 288ha.

You can use our avocado oil for just about any culinary purpose including: BBQ, Sautéing, pan frying, baking, roasting, marinating, dipping, garnishing, health and well-being. The mild, neutral taste of avocado oil makes it incredibly versatile.

With its nutritional abundance, culinary versatility, delicate and downright delicious flavour, cold-pressed Grove Avocado Oil has emerged as the purest and most unfiltered avocado oil on the market and better yet, it’s made locally!

• 100% Pure and Natural • Cold Pressed Extra Virgin • No Artificial Colours or Flavours • No Added Preservatives • High in monounsaturated fat

AVOCADO OIL NEW ZEALAND LTD Ph: 07 552 6365 W: https://avocado-oil.co.nz/

25

Prime avocados from the

North in Seeka’s Kerikeri packhouse W ith over 10 years’ experience in growing avocados, Se eeka works closely with growers in Northland, Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty in the production of Hass and GEM avocado varieties.

Seeka’s Group Manager Avocados & Direct Investments, Graham Cater, says the company is involved in every step of the supply chain to produce great-tasting fruit with excellent storage properties - an integrated growing, handling, supply and avocado marketing business.

Seeka exports much of its crop to the high-returning Australian market where they are sold under the Seeka brand.

The company complements Australian sales with sales to Korea, Japan, China, Thailand, and Singapore and domestically via SeekaFresh, its Auckland-based wholesale and distribution service.

An active marketing programme alongside a produce programme ensures top orchard gate returns, Graham says.

“Profitable growth for orchardists is key to a sustainable supply and Seeka is pleased to be setting the benchmark for returns to growers, pushing value to every fruit size.”

and innovation and has been creating new supply strategies by purchasing and syndicating orchards in Northland.

The company purchased post-harvest facilities in Kerikeri after identifying Northland as a growth region for avocados as well as to service existing growers.

“We are in the process of building a new coolstore, laboratory, offices and amenities building in Northland, due to be completed by February 2020,” Graham says.

“The project follows on from a 90,000sqm packhouse and grading machinery that was commissioned in early 2019.

The new complex will enable Seeka to significantly increase its avocado postproduction capacity to meet growing demand.

“GEM avocado orchards are being developed with Seeka’s growers, as an alternative variety to Hass. Seeka is the sole agent for GEM in New Zealand and the variety is known to hold fruit for longer on the tree as well as being less prone to alternate bearing.”

Staff busy at work in Seeka’s new Kerikeri packhouse.

Graham says GEM is a lower-vigour tree, able to be more easily size-managed, and the fruit hangs on the inside of the tree better, protecting it from weather.

The GEM will be slightly later maturing (after Christmas) so it will hit a different supply window.

Meanwhile, a new subsidiary of Seeka the start-up Delicious Nutritious Food Company, is producing high value nutritional foods including avocado oil, Graham says.

He says Seeka recognises that future growth in the industry requires investment

With 20,000 trees currently in the ground, the fruit will come onto the market next season.

Comfortable

with staying small

BY CAMERON SCOTT

W

hile several huge new avocado orchards are being established on former farmland in the Far North, some growers are content to stay small, diversify and enjoy the lifestyle the sunny north has to offer.

A case in point is Mark Neho who manages a small orchard for his mother, Kit Subritzky, along with his partner, Kit’s daughter Kim, an art specialist teacher and teaches at different schools around the Far North. Beef cattle are a sideline for Neho, who also works part time at Far North Packers, doing food safety audits for around 18 growers.

Pioneer

“Seeka has strong relationships with its growers and with the business’ aptitude for taking new opportunities, it is a natural fit for Seeka’s culture, capabilities and aim to deliver profits to stakeholders.”

Mark says the first block of avocados on the property was planted in 1993, two more in 1998 and 2003.

when the Aupouri Forest was harvested, the water table rose considerably and drowned most of the trees.

if we can keep going the way we are, we can hopefully increase production every year.

Kit established the orchard with her late husband, a fisherman, working on it parttime while supplementing her income with teaching, while also caring for her family.

“Prior to this they were well-producing blocks. The only original block left is block one. These original plantings were all on Reed root stock, whereas all the new plantings are on the new types of root stocks available now.”

He says the avocado industry in the Far North is undergoing major change, with big operators moving in and buying up the smaller orchards originally set up by pioneering growers.

Mark has embarked on a programme of cutting out some of the original and replacing them with a more intensive planting of clonal seedlings.

“The planting is more intensive than it was, but less than some of the really big new orchards up here,” Neho says.

He says the best the orchard has done in the past is 12000 trays and it hopefully will achieve this again by the end of the current season with the help of new plantings.

“We removed the original trees on blocks two and three mainly due to the fact that

“We do have more trees per hectare than what Kit originally planted at. I think

“And we’ve watched dairy farmers over the years switching from milking cows to growing avocados.”

Mark says he has received plenty of help and advice from a local grower’s group, which he deeply appreciates.

“I can’t say enough about our grower community here in the Far North.”

rallied Far North growers

BY CAMERON SCOTT

F

ar North Packers was founded in 1989 by avocado industry pioneer the late Jim Clark, who is thought to have been just the second person to set up an avocado orchard in the area.

His son Tom, now the company’s managing director, says Jim was influential in rallying growers around him in the Far North’s close-knit horticultural community.

Far North fruit was packed at Dave Mandeno’s Huanui packhouse for a few years before the call was made to establish Far North Packers to ensure the fruit was packed close to where it was harvested.

A strong force in the industry having been involved since the early 1980s,

26

“It is a fresh approach to getting more value from local produce, using byproduct, surplus avocados below market quality and transforming them into a healthy food product.

Jim was an advocate for moving the industry under the Horticulture Export Authority and Commodity Levy Act, and was an NZ Avocado Growers Association grower representative.

Though not exclusively affiliated with any one exporter, the facility has been an AVOCO supporter from the beginning and more recently has provided packing services for Just Avocados and Freshmax.

He was honoured for his work in 2008, when he received the New Zealand Avocado Award.

Avocados are supplied by 44 Far North growers, reflecting substantial recent growth in the number and size of new orchards in the area, including massive plantings by corporate interests.

“At a grower meeting it was decided that we needed a packing facility in the Far North region and Jim put his hand up. From small beginnings the business has grown now to the extent that it can pack 650,000-plus trays a year. For 2019 that should land at around 60 per cent of the area’s total avocado production,” says Tom.

“Competitors come and go, but we’re still here…”

Far North growers have something of an advantage over growers in other areas around New Zealand in that most seasons the picking starts marginally earlier, and with some orchards producing early fruit and some late, the packing facility can operate 12 months of the year if required.

“For some time we were supplied by 25 – 30 growers, so there has been a definite increase,” Tom says.

“Most of the fruit we pack is for the export market, but being independent, we are able to offer growers options with marketing their fruit,” Tom says.

Challenges over the years have included the threat of increased competition, but this tends to come in cycles, he adds.

“We’ve been doing it for 30 years so we know avocados and we always strive to provide an excellent service to our growers”

THE AVOCADO INDUSTRY IS CHANGING. ARE YOU? Find out more about a sustainable future for your orchard.

Download your proďŹ tability guide at thetruthaboutOGR.co.nz

Kyra Fielden

John Emett

Grower Services Manager

Grower Services Manager

(Bay of Plenty)

(Northland & South Auckland)

027 257 5028

027 476 9087

kyra@justavocados.co.nz

john@justavocados.co.nz

@justavocados

l

www.justavocados.co.nz

27