Vegetables NZ Inc

GISBORNE’S TAKE ON

VEGETABLE GROWING CHALLENGES

Words by Antony Heywood, General Manager : Vegetables New Zealand Inc.

The Gisborne Produce Growers Annual General Meeting had a good turnout in response to a season that encompassed drought, poor crop volumes, Covid-19 and a Council that is struggling to hear grower issues.

Gisborne is not alone when it comes to grower issues with councils. The multitude of plan changes in regions across New Zealand are proving difficult for growers to understand and chart a forward path through to continued prosperity.

My take on the key issues for Gisborne

1 How to meet Council requirements. 2 How to obtain labour to harvest crops. 3 How to provide food security, which is vital for rural communities like Gisborne.

Horticulture New Zealand, in conjunction with Vegetables New Zealand Inc. (VNZI) have developed pathways for the key issues facing Gisborne:

The New Zealand Good Agricultural Practice (NZGAP)

Environmental Management System (EMS) add-on is available to all NZGAP growers. It provides a stepby-step process to develop and implement a Farm

Environment Plan (FEP) to reduce environmental impact and meet regulatory requirements.

GoHorticulture is an initiative to encourage people careers. It involves a network of Career Progression

Managers stationed around the country, and a dynamic website: https://gohorticulture.co.nz/

Food security is a topic gaining traction after food shortages developed through the Covid-19 crisis. It is a topic about which HortNZ and VNZI have upped their discussions with the government in readiness for the development of crisis plans and the reform of the

Resource Management Act. Probably the most pressing topic is understanding the pathway to gaining a consent for irrigation. If a grower is unable to renew or gain a consent, they are unable to grow a crop. Economic survival is then in question.

What is obvious is the need to have a clear pathway for all growers to gain a consent, no matter which council they are dealing with. While each region and catchment will have different requirements based on into our industry and support them to embark on great

activity, there are some common points to consider:

All farm systems will be affected economically by any plan change.

Water takes are likely to be limited to reasonable use. In over-allocated catchments, there may be no new water allocated, unless storage is created.

Activities need to manage non-point source discharge to reduce the effects from operations, and to prevent increases in catchment discharge limits.

Farm systems will need to demonstrate they are working to good management practice in many cases, and best management practices in some cases.

All farm systems will need to have a Farm Environment

Plan by 2025.

Growers will need to provide evidence they are meeting the conditions of consent and implementing their Farm

Environment Plan actions.

Farm Environment Plans will become compulsory for all growers with land above 5ha in the coming years. Some councils are developing region specific approaches. HortNZ and the vegetable product groups are advocating for a nationally consistent framework built on the existing GAP assurance schemes, as an alternative approach for growers. I would recommend the NZGAP – EMS as it has an independent audit as a certifying outcome. This is recognised by councils as a high-level verifying endorsement.

“Our customers will have the benefi t of both local and international product support for our wide assortment of excellent vegetable varieties,” says Herman van der Gulik, (pictured), Sales Manager, Enza Zaden New Zealand.

Enza Zaden is open for business in New Zealand. Enza Zaden is now supplying direct to growers, after many years of breeding and supplying seed into the market via other parties in New Zealand. Enza Zaden was founded by Jacob Mazereeuw in 1938 and is still owned by the Mazereeuw family today. At 82 years young Enza Zaden knows about long term business and building strong connections via a multi local approach, to embrace regional diversity and global scale. Enza Zaden breeds for taste, looks, yield, labour friendliness and plant disease resistance. Enza Zaden uses classical breeding techniques, in conjunction with advanced technologies in the breeding process, without genetic modifi cation. Consumer desire and logistics demands are changing market conditions for growers at increasing speed. Growers and breeding companies are responding to this change by adapting faster and by optimising traditional breeding cycles. For availability and technical advice contact the Enza Zaden New Zealand commercial team direct or Beverley Vahai in customer support, by phone on 09 963 0122 or email sales@enzazaden.co.nz. Or contact our technical specialists; Field Crops: Aneil Hari on 021 367 242 or Jennifer Sinclair on 021 749 471, Glasshouse Crops: Louise Millar on 021 711 709, or if you are not sure, Herman van der Gulik on 021 858 939.

MEET THE ENZA ZADEN SEED RANGE:

PUMPKIN: GREY PUMPKIN Minaray Nelson Sampson RED PUMPKIN Orange Summer ZUCCHINI: Desert Salvador CAULIFLOWER: Altair Serenity Nova FENNEL: Preludio LEEK: Chinook Takrima SPINACH: Acadia Pacer Tundra Trailboss Crosstrek ONION: RED ONION Cabernet Pinotage Malbec ONION: BROWN ONION Shinto Manuka Goblin Rimu Plutonus LETTUCE: BUTTERHEAD LETTUCE Analena Barilla Tatienne ICEBERG LETTUCE Botiola (Icebreaker) Diegola Glendana Pedrola Icemaker (Icefall) ICEBERG LETTUCE Oriola Pelayo Ronodinla Vicentola Waltz BATAVIA LETTUCE Aveleda Melina COS LETTUCE Albara Corbana Hampole Maureen Moonred Xalbadora Xaroma Xenalora Ximenes Xiomara Xisca LEAF LETTUCE Buckley Budgee Burgandy Dabi Ezatrix Ezmari Ezme Ezmina Ezra Ilema (Verde) Lea Lunix Mathix Rhone Skilton Tuska Vizir Wildebeast BABYLEAF LETTUCE Friel HERBS: BASIL Edwina Elidia Emily Marian Piccolino Rosie Thai CHIVES Kobold Naomy CORIANDER Marino DILL Ella Goldkrone ROCKET Bellezia Tricia THYME German Winter