4 minute read
Certification process brings benefits for passionfruit grower
By Elaine Fisher
Annual General Meeting
Online ZOOM Meeting Thursday, 4 November 2021 at 7.30pm
All commercial growers of passionfruit are invited to attend the on-line meeting. Due to ongoing impacts from Covid-19 we will not be holding a meeting in person. Membership to the NZPGA is not required to attend, but is required to vote. Meeting details will be included in the AGM Pack. For an AGM pack, please email: Christine Herbert, secretary@passionfruit.org.nz Gaining the New Zealand equivalent of the GLOBALG.A.P. Good Agricultural Practice certification – (NZGAP GLOBALG.A.P. Equivalent) – has not only assured Tauranga orchardist Teague Bishop of domestic and international market access for his passionfruit but helped to streamline his orchard and packhouse operations. “The NZGAP process provided a good platform for improving the management of the orchard and packhouse, including tracking the production from each area of the orchard,” Teague says.
“It also helped us review and optimise the use of agri-chemicals because there is a big emphasis on the environment. This environmental focus made us even more aware of the bigger picture and now, wherever possible, we use the most environmentally friendly option, which carries significant benefits for our orchard and the environment.”
These outcomes weren’t what Teague expected when he began the process of NZGAP GLOBALG.A.P. Equivalent certification. Like many growers, he saw it as a requirement to continue selling his fruit both locally and abroad.
Teague grows passionfruit on a 0.5ha property near Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty. At 280m above sea level, the orchard pushes the margins for what is considered ideal passionfruit growing conditions, but even so, Teague still manages to produce export quality fruit for supply to the United States and local markets.
“It was recommended that we obtain NZGAP GLOBALG.A.P. Equivalent certification to safeguard our ability to sell locally and overseas,” Teague says. “Now that we have the certification, our customers accept our credibility without question. This gives us confidence that we will be able to continue selling our fruit. “In order to sell passionfruit in New Zealand, growers are required to comply with the Food Act, 2014. Growers certified to NZGAP GLOBALG.A.P. Equivalent meet these requirements, but still need to be registered with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). Compliance with the Food Act is easily accomplished as part of the NZGAP GLOBALG.A.P. Equivalent certification process.” Teague has run the orchard and packhouse, with the help of his family, for 16 years. He began the process of attaining NZGAP GLOBALG.A.P. Equivalent certification in 2019, achieving certification in early 2020. “NZGAP GLOBALG.A.P. Equivalent certification entails significant effort and cost, but it is well worth it.”
As part of the process, Teague prepared both electronic and physical dossiers which have become a valued part of his business operation. “It is ideal to have all the documentation collated and easily accessible because we frequently refer to it and update it,” he says. “A considerable part of compliance is the maintenance of various registers. Once they are in place they complement the running of the business and make compliance audits quicker and easier because the information is readily available.
MULCH BRANCHES UP TO 90MM
IN DIAMETER
Teague Bishop says the NZGAP process has helped to improve the management of his Tauranga passionfruit orchard and packhouse
“My advice to new growers is to strive for certification as early as possible, rather than having to change and introduce processes down the track. One is advantaged by having the main processes in place from commencement of the operation. “I recommend obtaining the NZGAP manual because it helps one to gain an understanding of the basic requirements for NZGAP GLOBALG.A.P. Equivalent certification.”
Teague has no doubts about the value NZGAP GLOBALG.A.P. Equivalent certification adds to his business, the wider horticultural industry and New Zealand’s international reputation. “By attaining certification, growers are doing the right thing to improve production quality and safety and to protect the environment, their consumers, employees and themselves.”
Damien Farrelly, NZGAP manager, acknowledges that the process of preparing for compliance can be complicated and costly for growers. “We continually try to remove the complexity of compliance to make things a little easier for growers.
We are trying to take complexity out of compliance to make things a little easier for growers
NZGAP GLOBALG.A.P. Equivalent with the Food Act add-on is a great example of a programme which solves multiple problems for growers via one integrated system.,” Damien says. “The current challenge is that regulatory and market requirements are changing faster than ever, meaning NZGAP and growers need to be more agile with continual development and improvement their systems.
For more information on NZGAP, visit:
https://www.nzgap.co.nz
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