HORTNEWS MARCH 2022, ISSUE 21
Tech beckons for tomato sector – Page 6 ISSN 2624-3490 (print) ISSN 2624-3504 (online)
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Automation the answer
Peter Burke peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
THE KIWIFRUIT industry needs to automate more to protect growers from the labour challenges the industry faces. That’s the view of kiwifruit growers collective NZKGI’s chief executive Colin Bond. His comments come as the first
kiwifruit for the new season starts to get picked. Bond believes that automation, in the first instance, will likely be in the post-harvest area, which is easier to automate than in orchards. But he notes that this part of the supply chain takes up a lot of seasonal workers and with further automation they then could be diverted into the orchard area. “This would be a good first step and
buy us more time to grow the industry as we look for ways to automate in the orchard,” he told Hort News. Bond says there is a lot to be positive about as the season gets underway and he’s predicting a bumper crop of 190 million trays – 10 million more than last year. He says there is a lot of demand in the market for our products. However, he points out the challenge is how to get all the fruit off the
vines, safely through our supply chain and into markets. Bond says labour is one of the biggest issues facing the industry. Historically around about 25% of the staff the sector employs come from overseas, which is a big hole to fill while borders are shut. “We have been working very hard during the last few years trying to attract and retain more locals. We are
only just starting our labour attraction campaign for this and over the last couple of years we have pulled in an additional 3,500 New Zealanders into our workforce during the seasonal peak,” he says. “We’re hopeful we can do that again but it gets increasingly challenging as the unemployment rate drops and – as we know – every industry is screaming out for people.”
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HORTNEWS
MARCH 2022
In it for the long game Nigel Malthus
WALNUT ORCHARDS in New Zealand could yield up to $12,000 a hectare cash surplus as new varieties now being trialled come into full production. That’s according to figures presented at a recent industry open day. However, it’s a long game, with harvesting only starting around year 10. Income finally exceeds expenses only around year 15, with full production achieved a few years after that. Despite that, it’s a rewarding industry with many advantages, say Andrew and Jo Horsbrugh, who hosted the open day on their Tunlaw Farm walnut orchard, near Rolleston. The Horsburghs started developing their 43ha property 21 years ago. They have planted 18km of shelter, over 400 specimen trees, and 3,615 walnut trees – most planted between 2003 and 2011. The orchard is now Andrew Horsburgh’s primary source of income, after he left fulltime work at the end of last year following a career in agribusiness with leadership roles at Farmlands Cooperative, Craigmore Sustainables and many others. For Jo, the orchard has been her full-time occupation, along with bringing up their family, since 2000 – following five years in the food
“When we looked at every single thing we kept coming back to walnuts. We did look at some things like blackcurrants and when we saw that you don’t have a summer holiday – your whole holiday is harvesting – that swayed us.” service industry. Andrew Horsbrugh explained that they wanted a venture they could establish while he was working full-time but could come home to in the weekends, “kick the dirt and have a sense of balance”. “When we looked at every single thing we kept coming back to walnuts,” he told Hort News. “We did look at some things like blackcurrants and when we saw that you don’t have a summer holiday – your whole holiday is harvesting – that swayed us.” An established walnut orchard is relatively low maintenance and even at harvesting – in late March – there is much less need for labour than most other horticulture ventures. The walnuts simply drop when ripe, or mechanical tree shakers may be used to hurry them along later in the harvest. The walnuts are then lifted from the ground and separated from the debris before being washed, graded and dried. Small growers could
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use manual nut rollers to lift the nuts and have others do the washing and sorting under contract, rather than invest in the machinery. The Horsburghs operate a washing and drying shed using specialist French machinery. Showing off a lineup outside of the various machines available, Andrew Horsbrugh explained that they chose a German harvester because it suited their scale of operation. “Before we chose this, we had a look at the different machineries,” he explains. “ The American gear was too big for us. The Italian gear was fantastic, but it was like driving a Ferrari. If something went wrong, you’d have to fly a technician over from Italy to fix it. “What we’ve got here is pretty straightforward hydraulics that just about anyone can fix in New Zealand.” Andrew Horsbrugh says they are not planning further plantings now that their existing trees had reached maturity.
Andrew Horsbrugh explains the establishment and management of the family walnut orchard near Rolleston now coming into full production. NIGEL MALTHUS
WARM AND DRY IS BEST GROWER DR Heather North says walnuts prefer a dry climate, which is a major reason Canterbury is home to much of New Zealand’s commercial production. North, a founder member of both the NZ Walnut Industry Group and Walnuts NZ Co-operative Ltd – which jointly organised the open day – spoke of the practicalities of walnut growing. She explained that the number one soil requirement is good drainage, as wet feet can kill the trees. Walnuts are droughttolerant but need irrigation for best production. They also need shelter, particularly when the trees are young, but pests and diseases are few, she said. With a PhD in optics and image processing and 10
years as a research scientist at Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research specialising in satellite remote sensing – North is also the Walnut Industry Group’s research leader. She says the most commonly-planted New Zealand varieties (Rex and Meyric) yield around 2-3 tonne/ha. But the group is trialling three varieties from overseas, and one in particular – Lara – is looking “really good,” North told Hort News. “We’re definitely hoping for those high yields that we’re seeing overseas with these varieties. We’re seeing 4 to 5 or even 6 tonnes a hectare overseas so we’re hoping to end up in that sort of range ourselves.” On the financial returns, North Canterbury grower and
chair of the NZ Walnut Industry Group Dave Malcolm said the per hectare surplus for walnut orchards sat somewhere between vineyards and sheep and beef finishing. Malcolm presented figures from one Canterbury orchard that over four years averaged 2,314kg at $2.63/kg for a surplus of $2,773 a hectare. However, he says that yield was at the low end of the scale. The new varieties could be expected to produce 4,000 kg/ha and sell for $4/kg, for a projected possible surplus of $12,183/ha, according to his figures. Other speakers at the open day, which attracted about 30 people to the Horsburghs’ farm, spoke of walnuts’ low environmental footprint and high nutritional value.
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Good jobs on offer as kiwifruit sector pivots ers being able to employ more permanent staff, which is an advantage to them. However, he says some smaller growers are unable to do this and have to rely on contractors. “The CPI tells you wage rates and inflation are going up and demand for people is exceeding supply and this plays out in increasing labour costs,” Bond told Hort News. “Over the last three years, we have seen wages rates go up by between 7% and 10% and that is
Peter Burke peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
NZKGI CHIEF executive Colin Bond believes the NZ kiwifruit sector has a good proposition to offer employees, with both inside and outdoor work and pay rates that are good relative to the primary sector. But he says in the Covid environment, people are increasingly hesitant to move to where there is work. Bond says the labour situation varies in the industry with larger grow-
HORTNEWS
definitely having an effect on growers’ bottom lines.” He says the other factors that impact the bottom line are rising freight costs and other orchard consumables. Despite all the challenges that Covid has thrown up, Bond says there is plenty of evidence to show that the industry is in good shape. He points to the competitive demand for new licences by people wanting to plant kiwifruit. Bond says the industry has coped with challenges in the past – such as
NZKGI Colin Bond says despite challenges there is plenty of evidence to show that the NZ kiwifruit industry is in good shape.
PSA – and that it comes together in a crisis and has a shared process. “There is lot of pride in the sector and product we produce. Globally, the long term future for kiwifruit remains really bright and we need to remind growers about that,” he adds. “It has just got a short term challenge but once we get through it, the future is bright. My message to growers is that there is a lot to be positive about, but we are going to need all hands on deck to pick the 2022 crop.”
RED COMES FIRST! THE FIRST kiwifruit for the new season are now being picked and not surprisingly this is taking place in the kiwifruit capital of NZ – Te Puke. Zespri’s new RubyRed is the first variety to be picked and it’s also the first time this new sweet and tasty kiwifruit has been picked commercially. It will be available on some NZ supermarket shelves and also exported. Zespri’s chief grower, industry and sustainability officer Carol Ward says as well as a continued increase in SunGold Kiwifruit volumes this season, the company is excited about the first year of commercial volumes of Zespri RubyRed Kiwifruit becoming available. “We know this is keenly anticipated by our consumers in New Zealand, Singapore, Japan and China,” she says. Ward says the industry requires 24,000 people to pick and pack the crop this year. But she says forecast surges in Covid-19 infection rates are expected to restrict the availability of New Zealanders. “In addition, the opening of New Zealand’s borders is expected to be too late to replace the 6,500 backpackers usually required for harvest,” she says. NZ has some 2,800 growers who produce kiwifruit across 13,000 hectares of orchards between Kerikeri in the north and Motueka in the south.
Zespri chief executive Daniel Mathieson (right) and orchard owner Gopa Bains look over the first commercial Zespri RubyRed harvest, near Te Puke. PHOTO BY JAMIE TROUGHTON/DSCRIBE MEDIA
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HORTNEWS
MARCH 2022
An incredible journey! Alan Pollard stepped down as chief executive of NZ Apples and Pears Inc. (NZAPI) late last year after over nine years in the role. He talks to Sudesh Kissun about the highlights and challenges ALAN POLLARD joined the apple and pear industry in March 2012, having had no experience in horticulture. He says it was an incredible journey, during which he developed a huge respect for growers. Pollard says he saw the export earnings grow from $340m in 2012 to $920m in 2020; the NZ apple industry was named the world’s most competitive apple industry in 2015 and has kept that spot ever since. “I saw great advancement in varietal development and the adoption of new technology and innovation. And I saw the difference that the industry makes to the health and well-being of people and communities, not just in New Zealand but across the Pacific, through the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme,” he told Hort News. “Most importantly, I developed a huge respect for the growers. They genuinely care about their people and their produce, and they work extremely hard in often trying conditions.” He says growers have been – and continue to be – severely tested with the labour shortage and supply chain disruption. “But they are resilient, and they will always be an important contributor to New Zealand’s economic and social outcomes.” Pollard made the decision to step down
from early in 2021, putting in place a six-month exit strategy to ensure a smooth handover to his successor. He thought the time was right to hand over the reins to someone else. “Having held the role for 9½ years, entered a new phase of the Covid pandemic, and overseen some structural changes at NZAPI that better positioned the organisation to focus on its key priorities for the future, the time was right to step aside in favour of a new leader who could bring a different set of skills and experience to the table.” Pollard isn’t surprised by the
growth in apple and pear export earnings. He says what is important to note is that about 80% of this growth is value rather than volume driven, which means the industry is extracting greater value per metric tonne than it ever has. “This is not surprising and is the result of years
Former NZ Apples and Pears chief executive Alan Pollard.
of innovation and good decision making: breeding world leading varieties; growing fruit in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way; innovation in tree architecture leading to much higher productivity; the continued development of the RSE scheme, providing confidence that the fruit would be harvested at the optimum time for optimum quality and therefore optimum value,” he says. Post-harvest innovation is also leading to only the best fruit making it to market, while sophisticated global marketing programmes ensure that product delivery matches
consumer core values and demand. “The global success of the industry over the past decade has attracted new entrants into the sector, including increasing interest from Māori enterprises,” says Pollard. He is proud to have built a team of outstanding individuals collectively focused on supporting growers to be the best. “When we set the NZAPI strategy, one of the goals was to become the exemplar industry association. “I think that we certainly became recognised as the primary source of truth for the industry, and a credible and trustworthy partner. “The work that the team has done has been recognised across local and central government, and across the primary sector.”
A GREAT SUCCESS DURING HIS tenure Alan Pollard was closely involved in the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme where Pacific Island workers return to NZ every year to work on orchards for several months. Pollard believes the RSE scheme has been incredibly successful and has been one of the key factors that influenced industry growth and success over the past 15 or so years. Returning RSE workers are highly skilled, highly motivated, and highly productive, he adds. “For the industry, the scheme provides confidence that the fruit will be harvested at the optimum time for optimum quality and therefore optimum value,” Pollard told Hort News. “Harvest is physically challenging, and in the orchard the strength and fitness of the Pacific workers has seen them undertake the tasks that New Zealanders either can’t or won’t do.
“These are highly skilled and motivated people who take pride in what they do and are highly motivated to succeed for the benefit of their families and communities.” For the Pacific nations, the money that is earned in New Zealand is reinvested back in their home countries. Pollard says this has completely transformed families and communities. “Of course, there are challenges – workers separated from their families for an extended period (which has been particularly hard during the Covid border closures) and ensuring a fair distribution of opportunities to participate in the scheme across the Pacific. “But the benefits are significant. I believe that the scheme is one of New Zealand’s most successful support programmes, and it has been recognised as one of the most ethical migratory labour schemes in the world.”
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HORTNEWS
MARCH 2022
Onions navigate tough year David Anderson
ONIONS NZ (ONZ) describes 2021 as “tough and tiring” for the country’s onion industry. In ONZ’s 2021 annual report, chief executive James Kuperus says an excellent crop was grown and harvested during the year, only for it to face extreme shipping disruptions. “It was tough, and then a ship got stuck in the Suez Canal carrying onions to Europe, to add salt to the wounds,” he adds. “The sheer number of blank sailings, container shortages and lumpiness of arrivals made for an extremely difficult year for the sector.” Kuperus says this was exacerbated by lockdowns and uncertainty about what were permitted activities. “The onion industry
really was stretched this year, with high levels of tension and stress. However, as tough a season as it was, growers are planting again and we look forward to a brighter 2022.” New Zealand onion exports are currently worth $150 million in a total global onion market worth $5.8 billion. Last year, ONZ commissioned independent economists Infometrics to value the untapped potential value of export markets where New Zealand could further expand. The report valued this untapped potential at $302.6m and outlined clear objectives for increased exports. “There is a lot of potential additional value for the sector and for New Zealand if we can gain access to new
markets and position ourselves correctly in these markets,” Kuperus claims. “For instance, with access to new export markets such as Thailand, China, South Korea and the Philippines, the industry can grow significantly and invest further in new systems.” He says the NZ industry is extremely reliant on government assistance to maintain and gain access to new markets, and the key to ONZ’s successes is developing strong enduring partnerships. “We partner with the Government, growers, exporters, agronomists and other sector groups,” Kuperus says. “We have elevated our relationship with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) with a formal partnership titled Humble to Hero.” He says this
Onions NZ chair Owen Symmans and former Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy.
partnership is not just a financial arrangement, but a determination by both parties to focus on market access, increase export values and provide export assurances. “This partnership will be the linchpin for Onions New Zealand and MPI for the coming six years, with joint investment to sustainably increase onion exports.” Kuperus says the sector needs to be looking to a strong future focused on meeting consumer requirements in Europe and Asia. “Although there are some storm clouds on the horizon around shipping and buy-local campaigns, the onion sector is extremely resilient and has excellent prospects to grow exports significantly with targeted investment.” @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews
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HORTNEWS
MARCH 2022
Tech beckons for tomato sector BIOSECURITY
Peter Burke peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
GREATER INVESTMENT in technology will likely be necessary for our tomato growing sector, according to the retiring head of Tomatoes New Zealand. Helen Barnes has headed up that product group for the past 11 years, but recently left to take up a role at GNS, with a focus on developing international partnerships for the CRI. She has spent her whole working life, until now, in the horticulture sector, since graduating from Massey University with an honours degree in plant science. After graduation, she worked briefly as a horticultural consultant in the Bay of Plenty before joining Veg Fed – the forerunner to HortNZ – where she’s been based for the past 18 years. Barnes says the tomato sector has been relatively stable during her tenure in the role, with the big
THE OTHER challenge that Barnes has had to deal with during her time at Tomatoes NZ has been the arrival in NZ of a psyllid – an insect, which has caused much damage to tomatoes and potatoes. She says it has been a journey for her and organisation trying to find a biocontrol agent to predate the psyllid. “Early on there was a focus on some of the existing biocontrol agents used in Europe and bringing one of them, macrolophus, to NZ but that required an EPA approval process,” she explains. “So we then went to see Professor Steve Wratten, an expert in Agroecological at Lincoln University, and he suggested that we look at bio control agents that already exist in NZ.” They followed-up by commissioning a PhD student to find one who has done just that – a bio-control agent that is similar to macrolophus. The next part of the project is to phase it in across the whole industry, which is being done through the ‘Lighter Touch Programme’ – a consortium of horticultural crop groups.
Helen Barnes, the former head of Tomatoes New Zealand, believes greater investment in technology is likely necessary for the growing sector.
transformation taking place when it moved from
outdoor to indoor production in the late 1990s
and early 2000s. She says greenhouse growing is
COVID’S IMPACT BARNES SAYS the arrival of Covid-19 has put real pressure on the tomato sector. For a start, about 65% of the tomatoes are grown in the Auckland area has been impacted by the various lockdowns. She told Hort News this has affected the sale of tomatoes with cafes, restaurants and green grocers closed down or facing reduced patronage. “This loss of markets that has impacted on planting decisions and timings and then there are labour shortages resulting from
the border closures,” Barnes adds. “Growers are having to compete with other industries – so they are probably 20% to 30% short on labour at the moment.” Meanwhile, the unreliability and high cost of freight really disrupted exports to Japan, the Pacific and North America. Barnes says that normally about 40% of NZ tomato exports go to Japan and 40% to Australia with the rest elsewhere. However, the presence of Pepino Mosaic Virus in 2021
has seen Australia ban our exports there until the issue is resolved. She says the response to that virus has been a major focus in the past year, with about 25% of the production area affected. The rest of NZ export markets are open. Barnes says she has seen the tomato sector through some challenging times and there is more to come, but she is also excited about the move to GNS which will see her science background put to good use.
the way of the future, but it has many ongoing challenges. “The greenhouses that were built in the 90s are starting to get old and its case of do those need to be upgraded in order for them to keep producing to the level they need to?” she told Hort News. “I think there is a really bright future for greenhouse growing but we have just got to get those and other things sorted – such as energy and pest management to make it viable.” In terms of energy, Tomatoes NZ has been working on an eco-collaboration project with the Energy Efficiency Conser-
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vation Authority (EECA), looking at ways they can transition in the sector to renewable and lower emission energy. Barnes says there is a lot of pressure coming on growers with the ETS and growers paying $80 per unit of energy. Coal and gas are the main energy sources that supply the heat in the glasshouses, but Barnes says there are not a lot of alternatives. “It’s a bit of race against time because of the rising energy costs which could force people out of business,” she explains. “The risk is we will end up losing some production – especially over winter – and that opens the door to imports that aren’t subject to the ETS such as Australia.” Options for future energy include solar
power – if a grower has the space and the capital to invest in this. Electricity on or off the grid, but many tomato growing operations are in rural areas where electricity supply is limited and heating glass houses requires a lot of power. Barnes says biomas is an option, but again the supply of this has to be close to the glasshouse operation and growers have to compete with others – such as schools and hospitals which are also investing in biomas. Geothermal is another option, but a costly one. So far, only one grower near Taupo (the Tuaropaki Trust), which has rights to Mokai geothermal field. Barnes believes more will happen in this space over time.
HORTNEWS
MARCH 2022
Paying better pickers more Leo Argent
CENTRAL OTAGO’S Tarras Cherry Corp says it is using New Zealanddeveloped orchard management technologies to attract and reward seasonal workers. Tarras Cherry orchard and project manager Ross Kirk says the company is the first cherry development to implement radiofrequency identification technology developed by Auckland based software company Dataphyll. “At a time when pickers are in short supply investing in smart technologies is a way to attract and retain talented workers,” Kirk explains. “The software ensures pickers are paid for the exact kilograms of cherries they harvest. It provides an absolute volume of harvested fruit through scanning and weighing and links the volume to the picker.” Dataphyll chief executive officer Christoph Kistler says the technology has been developed to pay pickers for performance, not attendance. “A smart picker can earn more – the more they pick the more they get paid,” he explains. “The software pinpoints top performers who pick above the minimum and may be eligible for bonuses. It tracks workers and buckets via ID tags which interface with mobile devices and weigh stations in the
orchard.” A ‘runner’ collects picked buckets, which are placed on the weigh station. The weight is captured automatically via a unique identifier on the bucket. Orchardists can review performance and production in real-time, highlight best performing workers, row-level yields and understand reject rates. Pickers know in real time how much they have picked and how much they will earn,” Kirk adds. “Traceability will be the immediate benefit this season and over time long term data collection will allow orchard mapping to determine harvested volumes and ease control of fruit flow to the packhouse.” The software has been integrated with Tarras Cherry Corp’s existing orchard and people management solution internally known as Horthub. Produced by Christchurch’s Prolorus Solutions Horthub captures hours worked, combines the productivity data captured by Dataphyll and calculates transactions required for payroll. “This includes ordinary hours, performance bonuses, along with any other deductions such as accommodation,” Prolorus chief executive officer Simon Lind says. “Our platform provides workflows for recruiting and onboarding employees, then manages wage calculations.”
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HORTNEWS
MARCH 2022
KBC appoints tech czar Leo Argent
THE KIWIFRUIT Breeding Centre (KBC) has appointed Roger Hellens as its inaugural chief technology officer. Hellens is a scientist with over 30 years’ experience leading and conducting industry-oriented transdisciplinary research. Before moving
to New Zealand, he worked at the John Innes Centre in Norwich, UK, where he developed the first genetic map of peas, showing the relative location of genes and other important biological features within the chromosome. This fed into his PhD determining the molecular basis of Mendel’s white flower pheno-
type (observable physical properties of an organism). Hellens also developed the pGreen plant transfor-
Roger Hellens is the Kiwifruit Breeding Centre’s (KBC) inaugural chief technology officer.
mation vector and studied gene silencing in petunias. From 2000 to 2014, he worked for the New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research (formerly HortResearch). His research interests at Plant & Food Research included developing red-fleshed apple and kiwifruit varieties and exploiting nextgeneration sequencing
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WHAT IS KBC? THE KIWIFRUIT Breeding Centre (KBC) was established last year and aims to take kiwifruit breeding to the next level. With about 45 staff, KBC is based in Te Puke, and operates out of Kerikeri, Motueka and Mt Albert. It will also have a presence offshore in selected kiwifruit regions. KBC is a 50/50 joint venture between Plant & Food Research and Zespri. It has been established with the goal to drive greater innovation within kiwifruit breeding and to create healthier, better tasting and more sustainability-focused varieties. It will be jointly funded by Zespri and Plant & Food Research, a New Zealand Government-owned Crown Research Institute. These organisations will share royalties from any future commercialised new varieties.
techniques to help accelerate the development of new cultivars. From 2014 until 2020, Hellens was a Professor of Agricultural Biotechnology at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). He worked in the Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities, holding several leadership positions. In 2020, Hellens joined Scion (New Zealand Forest Research Institute Limited) as general manager - forests to timber products, overseeing research from tree breeding, forest establishment, forest protection, and wood processing to
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timber construction. “The appointment of Dr Hellens followed an extensive recruitment search, and we are delighted to have been able to attract such a high quality and experienced candidate,” says KBC chief executive Matt Glen. “The CTO role will be an integral part of the senior leadership team focusing on external relationships with universities, research centres and industry, both domestically and internationally, and will lead the strategic direction of the science at KBC.” Hellens took up his new role at the end of February.
HORTNEWS
MARCH 2022
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NZ’s potato sector now has an overall value of $1.16 billion – with 58% growth in domestic value since 2013.
Strong local market holds the line for NZ spuds David Anderson
POTATOES NEW Zealand (PNZ) says despite the challenges, 2020 was another year of growth, with the NZ sector now valued at over a billion dollars per annum. In its latest annual report, PNZ chief executive Chris Claridge says the NZ potato sector now has an overall value
of $1.16 billion – with 58% growth in domestic value since 2013. “This is a pleasing result, as we have achieved our target of a 50% increase in domestic value, 4 years early,” he says. “It took us just 7 years to increase by 50% rather than the 12 years planned for.” Claridge points out that 67% of this NZ
crop is processed and says this is the reason the industry’s value has rapidly risen in value. “We’re very pleased to see that overall marketable crop yield has remained the same as the previous year, indicating consistent agronomic practice.” However, he adds that growers saw a 5% decrease in farmgate value over the 2020 year
and, despite a drop in the crop produced, there was still a rise in value across both export and domestic markets. “It’s fair to say that the pandemic crisis continued to impact our industry in 2020, due to further sporadic hospitality closures and dumping of European fries into our domestic markets,” Claridge adds.
“The PNZ tariff application to MBIE was unsuccessful but we continue to voice our concerns where appropriate and using whatever tools available to us.” He adds that the export market has been affected by global disruption to supply chains due to the pandemic, resulting in a
MORE APPLE PICKERS NEEDED! Sudesh Kissun
sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
THE 2022 APPLE harvesting season is underway and early indications are the quality is looking good across all varieties. One of the country’s biggest apple grower and marketer T&G Global is recruiting additional labourers to meet any staffing challenges caused by Covid and the Omicron variant. With a high-quality crop due to be harvested, T&G is doing its best to proactively manage this season’s challenges and uncertainties, says director of operations Craig Betty. “Without a doubt it’s going to be
a tough season given New Zealand’s tight labour market, the absence of working holiday visa workers, continuing global supply chain challenges, and the ongoing impact of Covid-19 across the country and globe,” he says. “For the last two years we’ve worked with Covid-19, prioritising the safety and wellbeing of our people, growers and communities – while at the same time keeping fresh produce flowing to customers and consumers.” Betty says the company is under no illusion as to how difficult the year will be. “Across the country, we’re recruit-
ing extensively to bring in much needed additional team members to help minimise the shortages we’re facing. “We have business continuity plans in place across our supply chain and are continually monitoring the situation so we can move quickly to navigate and minimise the challenges which may come our way.” T&G Global and its growers are planning to pick more than 6.5 million tray carton equivalents (TCEs) this year – the equivalent of 120 million kilograms of apples. Betty says the quality is looking good across all varieties this season, with fruit generally sizing well.
17% drop in NZ exports to the end of December 2020. “Suspected dumping by foreign firms in our export markets and overseas lockdowns reducing global consumer demand have also played their part in leaving our export value lower than we’d targeted.” Claridge says a key takeaway from 2020 is
“For our premium JAZZ and Envy brands, we’re seeing good quality and fruit size better than 2021,” says Betty. “With hot and humid weather for early harvest in the Hawke’s Bay, striking the right conditions to develop good foreground colour has been challenging, but the recent change of weather should see this improve. “In the South Island, we’ve seen higher than usual rainfall in spring, followed by warm summer temperatures which should see a full crop and improved sizing on 2021.” T&G’s early-season apple, branded Poppi, is the company’s first variety to
that a strong domestic market underpins NZ’s potato industry. “It affirms that securing and stabilizing our domestic market share should remain a top priority for PNZ,” he explains. “A strong domestic market maintains NZ industry resilience.” @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews
be harvested in February, followed by Royal Gala, JAZZ and Envy over the coming months. Thanks to its early ripening qualities, Poppi is one of the first New Zealand apple brands of the season to arrive in the highly competitive Asian markets. In December T&G Global announced significant investment in its apple operations, including $100 million for a new state of the art packhouse. The packhouse, which is adjacent to T&G’s current Whakatu East site in the Hawke’s Bay, will be one of the largest in the southern hemisphere and will house world-leading automation technology.
10
HORTNEWS
MARCH 2022
Summerfruit harvest finished Nigel Malthus
“WE GOT there in the end” is one Central Otago cherry orchardist’s summation of the summer fruit season now winding up. Tim Jones, the general manager of Cromwellbased 45 South cherry orchards and packhouse, says fruit quality was good but the Covid pandemic posed challenges. “We had obviously labour challenges, we had logistical challenges with the lack of airfreight capacity out of the country,” he told Hort News. “But we finished packing last week (early Feb) and, at this stage, we think we’ve had a reasonably successful season.” Jones says they had to thank the many young New Zealanders – school and university students – who came to the region to help pick the fruit. “We probably didn’t have quite enough people but the crop wasn’t as big as it could have been so we just managed to get through.” He says their sales and marketing team have worked really hard on the logistics challenge and have pulled off a remarkable feat. “By actually managing to get the fruit to market – in conjunction with our freight forwarding part-
ners – they have done a really good job.” 45 South is an exportoriented business selling premium fruit to mainly Asian markets. Jones said it was a matter of working with the airlines that were able to provide freight-only planes. “It’s been basically an eight-month challenge to ensure that we had enough relationships in place and enough capacity to get our crops to market.” However, he says it was a reasonably dry summer. “The fruit quality was a vast improvement this year on what we’ve had the last couple of years. Not only did we enjoy that, but our customers overseas enjoyed that too.” Simon Webb, of Cromwell’s Webb’s Orchard, told Hort News that fruit quality was high this season, across all varieties – but particularly peaches and nectarines. Webb’s enterprise, a family business more than a century old, runs a fruit stall that is a wellknown landmark on the outskirts of the town, and also supplies domestic retail and online customers. Webb says good sized fruit also made for consumer appeal.
“Very good quality this year and it’s been strong demand in the market too. Probably Hawkes Bay had a bit of a lighter crop, which is a bit tough on them. But in Central Otago here we’ve had a good crop of quality fruit.” However, he agrees it had been a struggle to find staff, and orchards were having to offer incentives like free or cheap accommodation. He says it was important to have good accommodation and good facilities to start with, “not saying: ‘here’s a paddock for you to put a tent in’.” Webb says they filled the overseas backpacker shortage with students, kiwis who decided to do a bit of fruit picking instead of an overseas holiday, and what he calls the “grey nomads” now that the youngsters were returning to school and university. “It’s been a struggle to find staff, but we’ve had just enough.” However, he says it put pressure on key staff having a lot of less experienced people around them, and there was also the social responsibility of managing teenagers. “When you’ve got 15 year-old people out there picking fruit and doing big days, you’ve got to take a lot of care with
Central Otago cherry orchardistTim Jones describes the just completed summer fruit harvest as very challenging.
them.” Roger Brownlie, the chairman of Summerfruit NZ, says South Island growers “had a reasonable run” but without great volumes. However, he told Hort News it was a ‘pretty tough’ season because of the labour woes. “We got an allocation of RSE (Recognised Seasonal Employer workers), which was really good. So that’s been helpful. I
think everyone’s used all the contacts they possibly can to get pickers but it has been hard work.” But he adds that there are jobs that have been left behind that would normally get done that haven’t been done. “It’s really about prioritising what is the most important at the time.” Brownlie says labour costs have gone up. “And with lower volumes it’s going to be very
interesting to get through this next year.” Summerfruit NZ chief executive Kate Hellstrom adds that cherry growers got through the season without any major weather events like the storms that effectively cut last season short. Cherry exports for the year to date stood at 3.1 million kg compared to 2.5 million kg at this time last year. However, she says
while growers managed to get their fruit off the trees they certainly didn’t have the labour supply that they would have liked and quality will have suffered. Hellstrom believes many growers would have done fewer picks at greater intervals, or even strip-picked all the fruit at once, which meant a higher proportion of fruit was picked either before or after it reached optimal ripeness.
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HORTNEWS
MARCH 2022
11
Gorse the secret behind successful Chatham Island honey business Cathy Strong
FARMERS ARE being told to spare gorse plants and let them flower – at least that’s the message on the Chatham Islands. Kaai Silbery, the owner of Go Wild Apiary, says Chatham Island gorse plants are one of the secrets of her highly successful bees and awardwinning honey business. “Gorse is special for bees. It flowers year around on the Chathams and is the highest pollinating flower in the world. They are rich in protein and minerals for the bees,” she explains. “I’m trying to convince farmers here to leave them,” she told Hort News with a slight tongue in cheek. Despite being started only three years ago, in 2021 her business won the honey section of the Luxury Lifestyle Award International based in New York, and a gold and bronze in the Apiculture NZ Honey Awards.
and unique honey prodThe Gold award was ucts. for their newest product, “I’m focussing on the freeze-dried honey, which luxury lifestyle with the is shipped to NZ highhoney. We are a boutique end restaurants and now operation,” she says. also available to individLater this year, Go ual consumers. It’s lightWild is releasing freeze weight and can be eaten like lollies, but more com- dried honey and soy monly used to sprinkle on sauce, to be used to sprinkle into recipes calling gastronomic creations. The freeze dried honey for both ingredients. The packets take up less space is aimed at the fine-dinthan liquid bottles. ing markets, which is an Go Wild’s main apiary industry Silbery knows has access to 15 acres for well. the bees to roam, and her She originally studfamily has 100 hives for ied food science at AUT, then branched out to culi- their bees. Silbery admits that nary art. She spent 25 years working as a chef in various restaurants, including most recently eight The Chatha m Islands h ave years as head the world’s only disease -free chef at Hotel bees. Chatham. She They are de scendants o f left only last the Black B ritish honey bee, year to devote brought to the Chatha ms fulltime to the more than 200 years a go. Honey is no honey busit allowed to be brought to ness. the Islands, so its local bees k Go Wild’s eep healthy. aim is to pro-
KEEPING IT PURE
vide quality Kaai Silbery says Chatham Island gorse plants are one of the secrets to her highly successful and awardwinning honey business.
PASSING ON KNOWLEDGE KAAI SILBERY is keen to help the local school children become skilled in bee keeping as part of the island’s legacy. From Moriori, Tainui and Ngāti Kahungunu descent, her uncle Mana Cracknell recently passed and was instrumental in reviving the Moriori culture – as well as in developing the Chatham’s bee industry.
A current project for Silbery is helping the local school children in a bee class, where they make and decorate their own hives and learn how to care for bees when they take their hive home. “Because we are a diseasefree island, no honey is allowed to arrive on the island. The idea was to create a sustainable honey flow at home for the whanau.”
gorse is not the only secret to the special and unique taste of Go Wild honey. The bees also feast on the endemic tarahina tree, which was once thought to be extinct until it was found on the Chatham Islands. She says the tarahina tree makes Go Wild among the rarest honeys
in the world. Silbery nurtures tarahina and gorse on her thickly planted acreage. Developing a honey business is not easy on the remote Chatham Islands, 800 kilometres away from mainland New Zealand, the target market. “Setting up a business
here costs three times what it would on the mainland when you consider extra power costs and the freight costs,” she says. Go Wild transports the honey in 15kg buckets by plane to Auckland to be freeze dried and packaged. The buckets can’t be
any heavier than that, otherwise the couriers won’t lift them manually and it costs extra for pallets and platforms for forklifts. Fortunately, honey production doesn’t use too much power, which is four times more expensive than on the North Island or South Island.
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HORTNEWS
MARCH 2022
EIT hort tutor retires Leo Argent
HAWKE’S BAY horticulture lecturer and programme co-ordinator Gordon Reid is retiring from his position after 19 years. A passion for horticulture, the soil and seeing students succeed has underpinned Reid’s tenure at the Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) campus in Taradale. The land has always been in his blood, having grown up on his parents’ orchard in York Road on the outskirts of Hastings with his three older siblings. Taking an interest in the land beneath the orchard, he studied geography, progressing to a master’s degree in physical geography. After teaching at a local high school for 16 years, Reid turned his hand to growing asparagus and tomatoes commercially for 12 years. The 2003 move to EIT was a “natural evolution” he says. “I taught, I grew things and then I taught about growing things, so I quite like that as a nice tight story really.” Reid began as a part-time horticulture tutor before specialising in the fruit production area. He was also involved with the Tertiary Education Union (TEU) including as long-stand-
ing branch chair. He is most proud of the three-year programme for the level four National Certificate in Horticulture Production, which he coordinated and the recently added level five NZ Diploma in Horticulture Production developed with industry to provide specialist technical skills in the fruit production sector. Seeing the success of the programme is “quite affirming,” he says. Despite retiring, Reid doesn’t plan on slowing down anytime soon with plans to take part in cycle tours, go fishing and improve his woodworking skills. He is also interested in volunteering for the likes of the Department of Conservation and having put his PhD on the “backburner” after his masters, he now aspires to complete it. Paul Keats, assistant head of school (primary industries) says Reid has been an integral part of the faculty during his 19 years of service. “Gordon’s been heavily involved with the Horticulture Apprenticeship Scheme and is valued by industry for producing quality graduates.” Stepping into Reid’s role will be his former student, Steven Hartley, who owns an apple orchard.
There will be more fishing time for Gordon Reid now that he has retired from tutoring horticulture students.
HORTNEWS Introducing Hort News, a national publication serving the needs of our booming horticulture sector. Distributed with the leading national farming publication Rural News, Hort News will be delivered to all key horticulture regions nationwide. It is the complete solution for readers and advertisers, covering every aspect of the wider horticulture industry – news, agribusiness, management, markets, machinery and technology.
HORTNEWS NOVEMB ER 2021 , ISSUE
Bumper cherry cro p predicted – Page 7
Sweet res ult for ho rt! 19
WWW.HO RTNEWS .CO.NZ
ISSN 2624ISSN 2624- 3490 (print) 3504 (onlin e)
Sudesh Kis sun
sudeshk@
ruralnew s.co.
nz that quota attracts an told Hort 8% tariff,” SOME HO News. he with RTICULTUR Covid. “Tra Under the also brac de and exp proposed ing for fina E farmers are on efits a dive orting ben FTA, the ncial relie pears will the propos rse range - onion tariff bus f from be remove of New Zea ed free inesses,” with the tari d on day trade agre between land the sector is extremely he says. one, ff on apples ement New Zealand grateful for hard wor “Without three year reducing k of New and the Uni Kingdom. New Zealand clear trad s ove Zealand’s tiators and r ments, ted ing arrange onion indu negoimproved “So, ther Apple, pea $200 mill stry was wor - tirelessl diplomats who hav e mar is some fina ket ion back reduced tari r and onio e worked y to conclud th and we ben ncial relie to the grow among tho n growers ffs, it is extr access and of which e this agre efit from a f er, 85% “The New se set to are regu came from to eme export from more wel ly difficult benefit alth Zealand team ement. latory env not as big exports. coming while Api the bottom join Zoom ironment,” major mea ough Meanculture New has to of larg had calls with the world t and dair er econom says Onion grow ers. Zealand says their counter to deal will be y exportat extreme ies like the ers will face Pollard. Kingdo a the grea part from ly m. t inco Uni outc s zero tariff day one. ted nigh nvenient ome NZ Apples industry and The tariff times of the t, for exampl and Pears will improve for the bee “Of immedia land onio on Alan Pollard New chief exec e.” ness Zea- sect ns is curr competitive te in one of utiv The conclus says at the ently 8% or is the exp benefit to the onio their largest moment the e Zealand currentl is a $100 ion of this kets. . New n will ben ectation of export mar million mar UK wor y exports agreement efit tariffs bein ket for grow $11 million eliminated on onio th of onio consistently g commun onion growers and The UK con ns, once the ns to the ers, dom ranking in ment com regional ities, sistently United Kin agreethree. es into forc annually. the top two of top thre ranks as gterbury. Oni from Pukekohe to e.” or one e export The New Can- Zea ons are an Onions NZ markets “We have Zealand land hon important tion crop for New chief exe ann a quota betw Gov ey oun for rota Kup and ern cuti ced the deta many vege - lion erus says ment Hav and Decemb is worth een August annually. the FTA will ve James ciple” table grow $70 miling onions er where this country “We have New Zealand ils of an “in-priners. with volume abo in a rota strong ties ’s onion exp ensure that as trad growers to UK custom -UK FTA tion allo ve to grow last week rotate betw orts continu ers, with ws tory e official as the wor s neared a long hiseen other of exporti e the dea ld comes completing such as lettuces, pota crops pro ng high-qu l after littl to terms toes, carr ality hon ducts ther which help e more than of negotia ots etc, ey e. Howeve s a year tions. Kup in-quota r, the curr and diseases to control erus says tari ent pests ff rate of . the NZ 16 per cen been a sign In 2019, the t has ificant barr ier to trad Karin Kos e,” says , chie New Zealand f executive of Apicult ure .
NEXGTETISTINSGUE PUBRLIEASDYH!ED MAY 10, 2022 MANGAW EKA ASP ARAGUS Sam Rain manager ey overse es an 80 asparagus hectare in the cen tral North When Hor Island. t News visi ted the pro in late Sep perty tember, Rainey and were in the his staff final stag es of pre for the har paring vest. The packhouse being set was up and at the sam first spe e tim ars of asp e the aragus wer to appear e starting . While the total size property of the is 80 hec tares, the just 65 hec y will pick tares this season – equates which to up to 250 tonnes See story . pages 4 and 5.
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HORTNEWS
MARCH 2022
Research may provide boost for NZ blackcurrant exports A NEW Zealand neuroscientist’s research into recovery from brain injuries is set to provide a multimillion-dollar boost to New Zealand horticultural exports. Dr Jian Guan led an Auckland University study with Otago University, which discovered that New Zealand blackcurrants contain elevated levels of cyclic GlycineProline (cGP) – a key brain nutrient that normalises a hormone essential for overall body health. This has led to development of a new export market with a distribution deal between cGP Max, an Auckland based company established to commercialise the discovery. Meanwhile, a major food ingredients distributor in China will see the export of more than 10 tonnes of raw ingredients delivering cGP over the course of the next three years. The new Chinese nutraceutical export deal is a welcome boost for blackcurrant growers in Canterbury and Nelson, with the majority of their 4,000 tonnes current crop yield destined for local beverage makers or the quick-frozen fruit consumer market. Nadine Morris, spokesperson for cGP Max, says health supplement sales in China have grown 500% since Covid emerged.
She says per kilo returns from the blackcurrants used to create a value added cGP capsule are 18 times higher than the sale of the fresh berry. “We know that China’s population is ageing faster than almost all other countries in modern history,” Morris
Auckland University neuroscientist Dr Jian Guan.
explains. “As a result, we expect this country to be our largest export market for cGP, and our supply of the raw ingredient will see it developed into a range of functional food and beverages in the coming years.” Morris adds that a process to extract cGP from blackcurrants, and other potential sources of the compound, has been patented in over 30 countries, providing IP protection while the company expands globally. She says the climate and alluvial soils in Nelson and the Canterbury plains produce a blackcurrant
higher in antioxidants (anthocyanins) and polyphenols than those found in Europe. In addition, cGP Max has recently begun exporting orders of a new brain health supplement line to other countries including the United States, UK, Spain, Singapore and Australia – having first developed New Zealand as a test market. The products are designed to supplement levels of cGP to normalise IGF-1 function, which naturally declines with age, but is essential for maintaining body and brain function.
New Zealand blackcurrants are uniquely rich in cGP.
BETTER BRAIN FOOD? DR JIAN Guan says while New Zealand blackcurrants are uniquely rich in cGP, they are also exploring other natural sources of the nutrient. With 14 international patents in her name, Guan’s research has focused on the role of IGF-1 and the impact of cGP in retaining cognitive brain function as we age. It also looked at treating neurological conditions associated with reduced blood circulation, which is common in strokes. “My studies into cGP look at the role this naturally derived compound has in contributing to improved health outcomes
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for those suffering from a number of age-related neurological diseases,” she explains. “I have been looking at how a clinical application of cGP can be used to treat diseases commonly associated with poor brain vessel function like stroke, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease.” Guan says healthy brains are able to continually produce new blood vessels to replace the loss of capillaries (smaller blood vessels) but this diminishes with age. “When we age the capillary nets which deliver nutrients and oxygen to brain cells are fewer and the brain cells which
are undernourished do not function as well and build up toxins, which means the brain cells die off slowly, causing brain degeneration.” She says the role of cGP is to encourage the cells in the brain to create new blood vessels and taking cGP can assist in the body’s ability to make more blood vessels and improve circulation in the brain. “Studies have shown that those who are older but in good health who have higher levels of cGP in their blood circulation display better cognitive function and memory.”
14
HORTNEWS
MARCH 2022
NZ apples Rockiting into China Peter Burke peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
A SPECIALITY NZ apple producer has been cashing in on the Chinese New Year with its fruit packed in specially designed gift packs. Rockit apples are small and are packed in plastic tubes for sale worldwide, but with a particular emphasis on the China and other key Asian countries, as well as the Middle East. The apples were originally developed by Phil Alison, but he has since sold the business and is no longer involved. Rockit chief executive Mark O’Donnell says a huge part of the Chinese New Year celebrations – which runs from the end of January to mid-February – includes giving gifts to friends. He says the nature of the company’s apples and its special packaging fits in really well with this aspect of Chinese culture. “Gifting is a big thing in China and so we have focused on this in our promotions,” O’Donnell told Hort News. “People used to give one big apple or one big something as gift, but this has now shifted as we have brought Rockit to the table.” He says the Chinese promotion is going well and typically the product sells out during the Chinese festival. An idea of the gift boxes came from their staff in China and O’Donnell says these have provided valuable market insights for the company in meeting consumer
Rockit Apples has been cashing in on the Chinese New Year with its fruit packed in specially designed gift packs.
Mark O’Donnell says the Chinese market is big for Rockit Apples.
needs. “Interestingly, the Chi-
nese New Year is bigger than China so we have
people from throughout Asia picking up those gift
packs and wanting then on channels in Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan and Hong Kong. They have all got significant Chinese communities who want to gift and so it’s been very successful for us.” Rockit apples are renowned for their taste and the fact that they store well in their plastic tube containers, they are also considered a healthy snack. O’Donnell says the company’s focus is on the busy mum trying to do the best thing for her kids by providing a healthy, fun snack that is full of energy. He says the apple
also resonates with young people who play the Pac Man video game in which the favourite fruit is apples. The Chinese market is big for Rockit. O’Donnell says it’s been growing 40% year-on-year for the last two years and he expects the same level of growth again this year. He says demand is great news but the biggest challenge is getting the fruit into market in time for key events such as the Chinese New Year. O’Donnell says the shipping into China isn’t too bad but they have
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had problems with the Middle East and also struck a major problem with the USA. He says on occasions they have air freighted product to ensure a deadline is met. One of the other challenges facing Rockit, especially in Europe, is that it is packaged in plastic, which many supermarkets are adverse to for environmental reasons. “We have tried cardboard packaging, but the fruit doesn’t store well in that environment so we are now looking at developing a biodegradable plastic tube,” he says.
HORTNEWS
MARCH 2022
Mulchers set the standard Mark Daniel markd@ruralnews.co.nz
ORIZZONTI IS well known in the viticulture and orchard sectors for its specialised range of mowers and mulchers. The brand has been distributed in New Zealand for more than five years by Agtek Tractors & Equipment. With more than 40 years’ experience in design and manufacture, Orizzonti places a great deal of emphasis on the quality of its products. The company also likes to forge relationships with its customers. Centred around a heavy-duty frame, the mulchers feature a 5mm outer cladding, alongside a replaceable inner 5mm liner. The latter is easily exchanged to extend the working life of the machine. Standard equipment includes a hydraulic sideshift system that offers 50cm of offset. Externally, the machines are manufactured to incorporate bevelled panels and rounded sides, meaning the machines can work closer to plants, without fear of ‘hook up’ or damage. The driveline takes the form of a centrallymounted, double flange gearbox with an overrun clutch. This, in turn, sends drive to a sidemounted transfer case that uses four SPBX trans-
mission drive belts to power the rotor. Capable of handling materials up to 100mm in diameter, the heavyduty rotor has 10mm thick walls. These carry 20mm thick flail hangers, which move 20 heavy-duty hammer flails, secured by 20mm diameter bolts. (Power 200, 2m cutting width). Throughout the machine, oscillating, double roller bearings incorporate a labyrinth and subsequent steel dust seals. This prevents sand, soil or foreign objects entering the assemblies, thereby prolonging the machine’s working life. Balanced to remove vibration, an ideal finish is achieved by using two rows of ‘U’-shaped counter blades and one changeable counter blade, to achieve a very finely mulch. Weighing in at 725kg, the HD Power 200 machine is equipped with a 194mm roller set-up that incorporates a cleaner/ scraper, which is said to remove the need for side skids that can be prone to collecting debris. “It’s easy to see these mulchers have a heavyduty construction, alongside great features like the HD rear roller assembly, the hydraulic side shift operating on long-life selflubricating bushes,” Agtek managing director, Gayne Carroll says. “Mulcher and mower performance is principally
15
dictated by tip velocity, rotor rigidity and discharge capacity – all areas in which Orizzonti excels.” Orizzonti manufactures a range of specialised range of mowers and mulchers for the orchard sector.
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HORTNEWS
MARCH 2022
Driver-less and low emissions tractor in development for NZ use Mark Daniel markd@ruralnews.co.nz
AN INNOVATIVE low emission, driver-less tractor able to perform up to three tasks at once is on the cards for New Zealand orchards. The Government is contributing more than $600,000 through its Ministry for Primary Industries’ (MPI) Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund to help develop a prototype tractor. It is aimed at increasing the productivity of trellised orchards, while also reducing carbon emissions. Blenheim-based Smart Machine Company is taking the lead on the three-year project and it’s contributing a further $945,000. “The tractor will be able to perform several tasks, including canopy spraying, mulching, mowing, trimming, and leaf defoliation,” says Steve Penno, MPI’s director of investment programmes. “As well as lowering carbon emissions, we could expect to see reduced spray drift, and improved soil and tree health. By improving orchard productivity sustainably, we could increase the value of crops like apples by meeting the growing demand for products made with less impact on the environment.” Smart Machine chief
The autonomous tractor will be able to perform several orchard tasks, including canopy spraying, mulching, mowing, trimming and leaf defoliation.
executive officer Andrew Kersley says the end goal is to develop a fully electric tractor. “While we want to go fully electric eventually, we need to be sure it will be suitable for remote rural areas,” he explains. “Some orchard tractors run 20 hours a day, seven
days a week, so if growers have a fleet that needs frequent recharging that might not be practical.” With this in mind, Smart Machine is working on a diesel hydraulic system with some electric components, with the view to converting to full electric further down the
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track. Smart Machine researchers will adapt the lessons and technology from the successful testing of a tractor, they initially developed for vineyards with the Pernod Ricard Group in Marlborough. Those autonomous units, dubbed Oxins, fea-
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tured a twin track system, weighed in at around 4,500kg and featured a 100hp Cummins powerplant. The company notes that the transition to developing an autonomous tractor for orchards isn’t a huge technological leap. Pip-fruit grow-
ing environments with the latest 2D canopies are similar to the way grapes are grown. Penno says this project aligns with the Government’s Fit for a Better World roadmap. “Developing this low emissions alternative for orchards will help in our
goal of shifting to a zerocarbon society, boost sustainability and also has the potential to increase export earnings.” The project, based in Blenheim, plans to expand testing to Motueka and Hawke’s Bay next year. www.oxin.nz