THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Will steady growth be enough? The latest Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries (SOPI) report has horticulture – including wine – growing steadily, with export revenue forecast to increase by two percent to $6.7 billion for the year to 30 June 2022, driven by record harvest volumes for gold kiwifruit and wine grapes. Nadine Tunley : HortNZ chief executive
This steady growth is in the context of the objective to double the farmgate value of horticultural production from $6 billion to $12 billion by 2030 while at the same time, improving grower margins. Concurrent with the release of the SOPI report, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) also released a progress update on Fit for a Better World, which is a multimillion-dollar programme “for accelerating New Zealand’s food and fibre potential.” This report shows that MPI and our industry has invested almost $117 million in horticulture industry projects between June 2018 and May 2022. It shows that this level of investment is the highest in the food and fibre sector, with dairy coming next at just over $93 million. Some would see this as a clear signal from the government that it supports seeing more focus
on horticultural development to assist in New Zealand’s climate response requirements. Much of the investment in horticulture to date has been focused on technology such as the robotic asparagus harvester; sustainability through a spray-free future for our apple industry, as well as the A Lighter Touch programme, which will reduce the use of agrichemicals across multiple crops; and diversity, that is, getting a wider range of people to consider careers in horticulture. In the coming year, investment is expected to focus on improved breeding of cultivars, and rootstock trials for a wide range of fruit and some vegetables; and market access and development, with investment in other years being directed by the Horticulture Action Plan, currently under development. The Horticulture Action Plan needs to bring everything
Editors: Emily Pope Ph: 027 617 6200 Email: emily.pope@hortnz.co.nz Andrew Bristol Ph: 021 021 62 021 Email: andrew.bristol@hortnz.co.nz Advertising Manager: Jackie Enright Ph: 04 494 9986 Mobile: 0274 489 913 Email: jackie.enright@hortnz.co.nz Design: Scenario.co.nz Ph: 04 385 9766 Email: joy@scenario.co.nz Subscriptions: Email: info@hortnz.co.nz
AT WORK
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