HORTNEWS ISSN 2624-3490 (print) ISSN 2624-3504 (online)WWW.HORTNEWS.CO.NZSEPTEMBER 2022, ISSUE 25 T&G Global reports solid progress – Page 7
Courtney Chamberlain is a finalist in this year’s national Young Horticulturist of the Year competition, which will be decided in TheNovember.28-year-old works as the assistant manager on the six-generation Chamberlain family flower farm, Hadstock, near Christchurch – one of the country’s biggest flower growers. Chamberlain has completed law and commerce degrees at Canterbury University, but says flowers are her passion and that is why she has chosen to stay and work on the family farm. The Young Horticulturist of the Year competition pits the contenders against each other across a range of modules – including practical, leadership, speechcraft, business acumen and industry knowledge.
dation, the answer is that there should be very little of that,” he adds. “But it’s not only the original accommodation, it’s also repairs and maintenance and keeping the places at a high standard.”
Bond says many growers are now having to be landlords, although there are some third parties involved in pro viding accommodation for workers. He adds that, to the best of his knowledge, employers have a very good working relationship with the labour inspec torate and consequently there should be few problems.
But Bond concedes – given the
THE ORGANISATION which repre sents kiwifruit growers says it has zero tolerance for anyone who treats RSE workers badly.
He says having sufficient people to work in the kiwifruit industry is crit ical. Bond believes last season’s prob lems around fruit quality is, in part, due to the number of people being available and having the skills to handle the fruit properly.“Inthis industry with the brand being paramount we can’t afford to compromise quality. What we need
is 24,000 people who are committed to doing a quality job,” he told Hort News. “It wouldn’t have mattered if we had 26,000 people available – quality comesBondfirst.”says the lack of staff is a global phenomenon and says he hopes that there will be more people available to work in the sector in 2022/23.
– See full story page 6
“Contracts have to be signed off – along with accommodation and deductions. In terms of poor accommo
Replacement Spray Pumps & Spray Kits Webbline Agriculture is a direct importer/reseller of a full range of pumps from manufacturers,market-leadingalongwithservice kits and accessories. Large range in stock. Dealer enquiries are welcome. View online - www.webbline.co.nzContact Ben 021 819 482 | ben.boakes@webbline.co.nz WAIKATO •CANTERBURY • SOUTHLAND branches
“We are really hopeful that 2022 was the toughest harvest from a labour per spective. We are expecting an increased crop next year but with the borders open and backpackers coming in we hope we can get more RSEs in as well.”
Colin Bond, who heads up NZ Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated, says the industry is privileged to have RSE workers from the Pacific and they are critically important to the sector. He says any negative publicity around the bad treatment of workers is not only bad for the individuals, but also dam
ages the much respected brand of the NZ kiwifruit industry.
Peter Burke peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
Bad bosses besmirch all
Bond told Hort News the recent publicity about issues relating to RSE workers is disappointing because the behaviour of a few poorly performing individuals reflects on the vast major ity of employers in the industry who do the right thing by their workers. He explains that the employment of RSE workers is strictly controlled by depart ment of labour inspectors.
A SUCCESS!BLOOMING
recent media coverage of the poor treatment of some RSE workers – the industry, as a whole, needs to learn from this and make sure it looks after these valuable workers.
“Meaning you can pick it up on the supermarket shelf and take it home and you can eat it straight away. That’s been a real benefit for us to enlarge the kiwifruit port folio and category because it has not only brought new consumers to the category, but also the repeat purchase rates are a lot higher.”
ESCORTED TOURS 2022/23
•
months with the highest levels of need,” he adds. “Thousands of whānau in our communities are facing the perfect storm of seasonal cost pressures for thou sands of members of our com munity.”The Trusts also provides financial support to Fair Food, which aims to provide food for 5,000 vulnerable families and deliver 75,000 meals this winter.
• TAHITI & SOCIETY ISLANDS CRUISE
THE MARKETS
“We’d expect to see some change in the container rates and what we are already seeing is fuel costs coming back. Hopefully that will be passed on to the customers and we will see freight rates rates.ableconsequentlyinwithupofshipsrefrigeratedhasMathiesonmoderate.”saysZespribeencharteringcontainerforthepastcoupledecadesandhasbuiltstrongrelationshipsshippingpartnersAsiaandEuropeandhasbeentolockinreallygood
(OGR) to growers and in the last couple of years the cost of freight paid by growers has doubled.
INFLATIONSKYROCKETINGboth in NZ and in Zespri markets overseas is presenting new challenges for the kiwifruit sector.
ends – at home in terms of costs and in the marketplace and in terms of purchasing power of consumers. That is something we are looking at, so we are doing well in terms of demand and we are able to hold our price position,
BEST OF THE SOUTH ISLAND
it’ll probably grow at a slightly lower rate over the next few years.”
•
@rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews
SEPTEMBER 20222 HORTNEWS
Lending a helping mandarin
Le Paul Gauguin for an unforgettable journey to discover idyllic sands and atolls. Tour includes flights to/from Papeete. For full details
FAR NORTH & BAY OF ISLANDS (4 spots available)
Mathieson says there are signs that the demand for shipping – particularly in the containerised area – is starting to moderate over the next 12 to 24 months.
EAST COAST & NAPIER (6 spots available)
Hassle free travel for mature travellers’’
He says SunGold is hitting a real sweet spot with consumers because of this and the fact that it’s a ready-to-eat fruit.
Fair Food supplies over 50 Auckland community groups with over 2.4 million meals per year. It has also opened a ‘Con scious Kitchen’ to teach com munity members the principles
of upcycling food – taking food matter that would normally be discarded as waste and turning it into something more useful e.g. coffee grounds as fertiliser.
•
WEST AUCKLAND community foundation The Trusts is calling on Kiwis with citrus fruit trees on their properties to pick sur plus fruit and donate it to those in need, rather than let it go to waste.Chief executive Allan Pollard says citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, lemons and manda rins are currently in season and food rescue charities like Fair Food can often collect the pro duce from those willing to pick it.
WAIKIKI BEACH & HAWAII CRUISE
Fair Food chief financial offi cer Deborah McLaughlin says the
10 days, depart 21 July 2023 Set sail on board
Around a third of all food pro duced globally is wasted. How ever, staff at Fair Food receive and each day hand-sort around a tonne of discarded food pro vided by supermarkets, growers and manufacturers. The surplus produce would otherwise be des tined for landfill, generating an estimated 540 tonnes of green house gases annually.
Phone 0800 11 60 60 www.travelwiseholidays.co.nz
8 days, depart 20 October A special place for a safe and relaxing close to home all inclusive holiday.
Pollard says it is critical that organisations like Fair Food be given the support of corporates to allow them to continue their work during peak seasons of need.
“Winter, along with Christ mas and back to school, are the
"
MATHIESON SAYS, despite the many challenges Zespri is facing, it is encouraged by the strong growth and demand for kiwifruit.
Peter Burke peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
Mathieson says they still see a strong future for green and are focusing on their key markets for this – Asia, Japan and Korea. The major markets in Europe are Spain, Germany, France and the Benelux region. He says an exciting pros pect is MathiesonVietnam.says
TRANSTAK BIN TRAILERS Designed and Manufactured in NZ for Over 25 years TRANSTAK® 3000LT ❱❱ 6 Bin Capacity for shifting high volumes of fruit “Thanks to all the Transtak Team, your bin trailers are amazing!!” – Horticultural Contractor *TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY www.transtak.co.nz • sales@transtak.co.nz 0800 303 063 TRANSTAK BIN TRAILERS Designed and Manufactured in NZ for Over 25 years TRANSTAK 1500LE ❱❱ Fast and efficient bin shifting capability with 3-4 bin capacity ❱❱ Transtak's Soft-Ride suspension system ensures fruit protection. ❱❱ Single hydraulic connection and forklift design provides simplicity of operation ❱❱ Few moving parts ensuring low maintenance requirements Extremely durable construction backed warrantyby www.transtak.co.nz • sales@transtak.co.nz 0800 303 063 *TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY “Thanks to all the Transtak Team, your bin trailers are amazing!!” – Horticultural Contractor 8 modelsdifferentavailablefrom2-6bincapacity ®TRANSTAK® 1500LE ❱❱ NEW 2022 design 150mm narrower to improve performance within rows. ❱❱ Fast and efficient bin shifting capability with 3-4 bin capacity. ❱❱ Single hydraulic connection and forklift design provides simplicity of operation. 8 modelsdifferentavailablefrom2-12binscapacity ❱❱ Transtak’s Soft-Ride suspen sion system ensures fruit protection. ❱❱ Few moving parts ensuring low maintenance requirements. ❱❱ Extremely durable construction backed by *3 year warranty.
NEW PLYMOUTH 'CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
The other impact is
5 days, depart 23 December A Christmas get away featuring the magnificent light display at Pukekura Park along with some great sightseeing during the trip.
• CHATHAM ISLANDS DISCOVERY
7 days, depart 17 September. A leisurely coach tour of the Far North including the new Hundertwasser Art Centre and day trip to Cape Reinga.
•
still freight costs, which Mathieson says are huge. He says this has impacted on the orchard gate return
He adds that the new variety Ruby Red has been an exciting development and is proving very popular with young people because of its attractive red flesh and flavour.
Inflation hits Zespri both at home and abroad
15 days, depart 22 November A spectacular trip around the many highlights of the South Island taking in the wonders of Tekapo, Twizel, Stewart Island day excursion, the Milford Sound and Queenstown. Overnight cruise on the Milford Sound
11 days, depart 25 May 2023 A 'Pride of America' cruise for 7 nights with a Waikiki highlights 3 day stop over including Pearl Harbor and Oahu round Island tour.
Not only is the industry having to quickly sort out a fruit-quality issue at home – caused by a number of factors including a general lack of skilled labour –inflation is affecting buying patterns in some of its major overseas markets.Zespri chief executive Dan Mathieson told Hort News that on the home front wages are rising, as are other input costs on orchard such as fuel. He says, due to their reduced spending power, consumers have been more discerning about what they put in the supermarket trolley.
Zespri is also focused on new green varieties coming through the R&D pipeline. A number of these are out with growers and will hopefully go to full commercialisation around 2027.
Zespri chief executive Dan Mathieson says rampant inflation is making a difficult season even tougher both in NZ and overseas.
@rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews
“So, inflation has impacted us at both
Leo Argent
He says a lot of this is based on consumer demand for healthy and nutritious foods.
poverty gap is widening, with pandemic-driven food shortages, inflation and winter heating costs all impacting already vulnerable families. Shesays around 40% of Kiwi households experience food inse curity and 19% of children live in homes where consistency of food supply is a concern.
which is excellent,” he explains. “We expect that while wage inflation will continue to grow,
•
8 days, depart 21 September A unique and exciting tour around the East Cape and return via the Northern Explorer train
Market diversification critical!
the resulting drop in sales into this market,” she added.“While exports to Australia fell, strong growth was recorded in other export markets with avocado sales to the rest of the world (excluding Australia) up by 154%.”
production growth will come from the Northland and Bay of Plenty regions,” says the report’s author, Rabobank associate analyst Pia Piggott. “And while the general production trend will be in an upwards direction, we also anticipate this growth will be highly variable on an annual basis due to ‘alternate bearing’, which results in irregular crop loads from one season to theThenext.”report says New Zealand is highly reliant on Australia as an export market for avocados with our aAustraliaparticularlyconsiderablysupplylastZealandforneighbourstrans-Tasmanaccounting79%oftotalNewexportsoverthefiveyears.“However,Australianhasrampedupoflate–inWestern–leadingtonationaloversupply,
and it’s essential that the New Zealand industry continues to grow its sales into other export markets that can pick up the slack when Australian import demand is lower.”
“With Australian avocado production forecast to grow rapidly over the coming years, it’s essential that the New Zealand industry continues to add new overseas markets and to expand the share of its avocado exports that are heading to other countries around the world.”
@dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews
Piggott says the New Zealand avocado industry has made significant
There was also strong export growth in China,
“While New Zealand was less reliant on Australia in 2021, Australia still accounted for two-thirds of New Zealand avocado exports by volume,” she explains.
“We expect the majority of this
Rabobank analyst Pia Piggott says diversifying export markets will be critical for New Zealand’s avocado industry.
In the report Australian & New Zealand Avocado Outlook 2022, the bank says the majority of New Zealand’s avocado exports currently head to Australia. It adds that the development of other export markets will be essential to ensure sustainable reachingforaverageforecastavocadoproductioncountry’sopportunitiesgrowthfortheproducersasclimbs.NewZealand’sproductionistogrowbyan6%annuallythenextfiveyears57,000tonnes by 2026 — up from 44,000 tonnes in 2021.
Your soil will love you forever. 100% natural, BioGro certified Supplies readily available source of calcium and sulphate sulphur to support soil health and plant growth. For more information scan the QR code or go to gypsum.co.nz Available at:
3SEPTEMBER 2022 HORTNEWS
progress growing sales to other markets in 2021, despite lower exports overall.“New Zealand’s total avocado exports by volume were back by 11% in 2021, in large part due to an oversupply of avocados in Australia and
A NEW report by agricul tural banking specialist Rabobank says diversify ing export markets will be critical for New Zealand’s avocado industry.
This improvedincludedexport sales into Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea. NZ exports made up 9%, 4% and 12% of total imports into those markets respectively.
Thailand, Taiwan and India.Piggott says while recent sales growth into these markets was promising, further market diversification will be required by the New Zealand avocado industry over the years ahead.
Leo Argent
AGRICULTURE MINIS
infrastructure is maintained on farm.
Calf Sheds Gable Sheds
Implement Sheds
from individual growers.
praised for ensuring that new accommodation can be used by RSE and NZ workers and is of a stan dard to which all facilities should be O’Connorbuilt.says any case of appalling treat ment of RSE workers has
THE RAIN FROM HELL!
He says there are already plans by the Samoan Government to put a limit on the number of its workers going over seas.“But we do have to be mindful that the reports are exceptions to what is an ever improving standard of labour and conditions for RSE workers. But the scheme will be judged by the lowest common denominator and all employers have to be mindful of this.”
BuiltforDesignedstrength.tolast. Distribution Centres: Whangarei, Hamilton, Levin, Taupo, Christchurch, Gore 0800 347 greenwoodinfo.co.nz259GRW0006
Hort News
TER Damien O’Connor has joined the chorus of concern about the treat ment of some RSE work ers from the andbetweencooperativeanemploybehaviour”aboutgenuinelypeoplebeenmentaroundwherebeenO’ConnorPacific.sayshe’sinMarlboroughaparticularissuethepoortreatofRSEworkershasalleged.Hesaysinthatregionareconcernedthe“appallingofsomewhoRSEworkers.“TheRSEschemeisincrediblyvaluablearrangementPacificnationsNZ,”hetold
The wettest July in the Horowhenua for more than 75 years has caused havoc for local growers.
Olsen says this has made it very hard to get product into the marketplace in
Minister warns that ‘appalling treatment’ of RSE workers risks hort exports
On a more posi tive note, O’Connor has seen for himself some of the huge investment that’s gone into facili ties for RSE workers. He says those growers are to be acknowledged and
sions for NZ being with drawn.“That’s something we have to be mindful of.”
of those people are dam aging for our reputation. I think it’s outrageous that anyone who has been prosecuted before for any issue relating to employ ment should be entitled to employ RSE workers. I find that a shocking rev elation.”O’Connor says the employment conditions for RSE workers needs to be thoroughly inves tigated. While he was aware of some reports years ago about this kind of treatment of work ers, he’d hoped that the industry and the Depart ment of Labour inspec tors employed by MBIE had stamped these prac tices“Theout.reports are very disturbing and the indus try has to realise that if anyone turns a blind eye
He adds that in order to find out about the ill treatment of RSE workers, they have to rely on the community and reports
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor warns that negative stories relating to the treatment of RSE workers are damaging for our reputation.
to this kind of behav iour they are complicit and they are putting their whole industry at risk.”
IT’S BEEN the wettest July in the Horowhenua for more than 75 years and it’s causing havoc for local grow ers.Terry Olsen, president of the Tara rua Growers Association, which rep resents commercial vegetable growers on the western side of the Tararua Ranges from Otaki to Rangitikei, says there has been month upon month of challenging weather. He says condi tions have been especially bad south of Levin, where rain wind and hail have all taken their toll on crops.
machinery and furthermore it’s very disheartening and makes for interest ing challenges going forward,” he told Hort News
pretty expensive. Then it’s having to make decisions to either carry on or with what you are left with or go for a complete replant. These are pretty sizableOlsendecisions.”says,while having the dairy farm provides a diversification option, that operation has also been diffi cult because of the rain, which has occurred around calving time. He says even if there is a dry spell, more prob lems could be in store because Sep tember and October have always been challenging months for growers.
even bigger problem for vegetable growers.“It’sa reminder how challenging
serious implications for future of NZ horticulture exports.“There have been examples in the hort sector where shipments to customers have been thoroughly checked, not only for the residue levels but also the labour that has been used to pro duce the goods,” he told Hort News. “That will only increase as custom ers are more discerning and looking to the social licence and labour com ponents of food produc tion.”O’Connor says the recent FTAs with the EU and the UK incorporate agreements that require adherence to the highest standards of labour and if any of the parties don’t meet those standards that could trigger access provi
Peter Burke peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
According to Olsen, Covid has compounded the problem. He says
SEPTEMBER 20224 HORTNEWS
“Any negative stories relating to the treatment
O’Connor says another risk is that RSE workers from the Pacific will not come to NZ if they feel they are being ill-treated or ripped off.
“It’s especially hard for those who are totally reliant on vegetable grow ing for their income.”
Olsen says the first challenge was to get crop planted and then to get it established – only to find the crop inundated with rain at the wrong time. Olsen, who is a potato grower but also has a dairy farm as part of his operation, says if a crop gets ruined by the rain it’s not a simple matter of replanting it straight away.
“However, new regulations don’t make it any easier and the challenge
NATIONAL PARTY leader Christopher Luxon has indicated an extension to the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme is on the cards if his party comes into government nextOnyear.arecent visit to Seeka Holdings in Te Puke, Luxon said the kiwifruit industry is a “fantastic story” of a business that offers good wages and career options – but the sector was facing a major labour shortage.Luxon said there were two things the Government could do to assist the industry with the challenges it faced. This included introducing a multi-year work visa for RSE seasonal workers and increasing the current one-year visa to three years. He claims National’s ideas will help address the labour shortage.“Theproblem is that the Government is not doing a good enough job to open up the immigration settings so businesses involved in the sector can maximise opportunities to make a lot more money and maximise their returns,” Luxon explained. “This would not only benefit those working in the industry but New Zealand as a whole.”
Nats to extend RSE scheme
He believes that increasing available labour to the kiwifruit sector would also help with current issues it is experiencing around qualitySeekaissues.chief executive Michael Franks said, like most horticultural produce companies, Seeka was extremely short of labour, especially during peak demand periods.“Weemploy about 4,500 seasonal workers each year, complementswhichour 800 permanents, and also have another 1,500 who indirectly work for us.”
5SEPTEMBER 2022 HORTNEWS
Meanwhile, Hort NZ chief executive Nadine Tunley says the organisation supports any move to ensure the ongoing success of the RSE scheme and give growers access to a skilled seasonal workforce, as growers look to the next harvest season.
David Anderson
Meanwhile, she added that there is ‘no tolerance’ for employer behaviour that is contrary to the spirit of the RSE scheme.
“We must ensure the scheme continues to operate successfully for the Pacific, as well as for New Zealand.”
Registration is FREE! KEEP UP-TO-DATE WITH OUR NEWSLETTER.WEEKLY www.ruralnews co.nz/enewsletter Time pressure you can manage from anywhere* *Network connection dependant. FieldNET™ is a registered trademark of the Lindsay Corporation. © 2021 Lindsay. All Rights Reserved In farming there never seems to be enough time to go round. Talk to your local dealer today to find out how FieldNET’s remote irrigation management system can free you up for when the time pressure comes on. FIELDNETwww.lindsay.com/irrigateanz™ Any Pivot Anytime. Anywhere. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews
“For horticulture in New Zealand, the RSE scheme has supported growth which in turn has opportunitiespermanentincreasedemploymentforNew
HorticultureZealanders.”TunleysaysNew Zealand and other industry groups will continue discussions with the governments of New Zealand and the Pacific, ahead of decisions due any day now about how the RSE scheme will operate for the coming harvest season.
“For the past 15 years, the RSE scheme has helped Pacific economies to develop and communities to flourish, through the skills RSE employees develop and the money that they earn,” she adds.
National leader Chris Luxon says an extension to the RSE is on the cards if there is a change of government at next year’s election.
SEPTEMBER 20226 HORTNEWS
She says there is more attention drawn to environ mental issue nowadays.
Canterbury flower grower Courtney Chamberlain is a finalist in the national Young Horticulturist of the Year competition.
bulbs out, we’ll put them into grass again, and then they won’t go back into bulbs for another few years.”
to do all that by hand, it’s a huge amount of workers.”
Nigel Malthus
WITH THE family farm bordering the Selwyn River, there is an increasing environ mentalHowever,focus.Chamber lain says flower growing is inherently environmentally friendly, especially in the way they rotate the paddocks.
“But I feel that as a farmer you always care about the land and you want to do what’s good for the environ ment,” she told Hort News.
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
“I think we’re very lucky to be here. We’re in a beautiful spot and I think that’s where my real passionHadstock,is.” at Springs ton, near Christchurch, is about 150ha with about a sixth of that in flowers at any one time. Blooms are picked for the flower mar kets between June and October. Bulbs are lifted in summer for sale to homeThegardeners.farmhas been in the Chamberlain family since 1878 and has been progressively converted to flower growing from the 1930s.The whole family is involved, including Court ney’s parents John and Cynthia, sisters Jessica and Hannah – and now, Courtney’s and Jessica’s partners.Chamberlain says it has been a tough year, with “strange weather” – few frosts but a huge amount of rain.
The paddocks will be down for a few years. We’ll lift the
A paddock of daffodils in full bloom makes for a glorious display but it is
her professional law qual ification.Onemight think the world is her oyster. But she chooses to stay on the farm.Chamberlain explains that the degrees give her options “but this is where I want to be.”
Chamberlain says the
biggest change over the years is in the gear and machinery. Not only are modern trac tors more luxurious than “the old tractors that my granddad drove” the farm now has machines that lift swaths of bulbs and wash the soil off them when it’s time to lift and separate them and rotate the paddock.“Evenin my lifetime it’s changed a lot. When you try
“MY PASSION is flower growing,” explains Court ney“IChamberlain.lovebeingoutdoors. I love what we do and I love working with family.”
The 28-year-old, who works as the assistant manager on the six-gener ation Chamberlain family flower farm, Hadstock, is a finalist in the national Young Horticulturist of the Year competition, to be decided in November.
Hort News last vis ited Hadstock, one of the country’s biggest flower growers, in 2016. Then, Courtney Chamberlain was halfway through law and commerce degrees at Canterbury University. Now she has completed both degrees, as well as
too late to pick them for commercial rangemixturepeonyyearvarietieswell.thenweshecheervarietiesindoublelaintimeisDaySociety’sordersyearplants.forinbeennately,Hortwetpickmuddytheupbeenthefloweringstoredbulbstion.itsinoutChamberlainsale.pointsanewlyplantedpatchwhatwastohavebeenfirstyearofproducItwasplantedinthathadbeencooltoforcethemintoearly.Butthenrainscame.“Wheretheground’srecentlyworkedwhenyou’replantingbulbs,itcangetveryouthere.Youcan’tthemwhenit’ssuperlikethat,”shetoldNews.“Sounfortuthispaddockhasmissedthisyearbutsayingthat,itisbetterthehealthoftheHopefully,nextwillbebetter.”FulfillingdaffodilfortheCancerannualDaffodilappealinlateAugustthefarm’smosthecticofyear,Chambersays.“We’vestillgotourvarietiestocomeyet,andourjonquilsuchaswhiteandyellowcheer,”adds.“IntotheseasongetourbluebellsandwehavetulipsasAndwegrowotherthroughoutthelikeorientallilies,roses,gladioli,theofcallalilies,aofthings.”
“We’ve been doing this my whole life,” she says. “
Hiring, training and super vising staff is one of Cham berlain’s roles on farm.
Hadstock employs up to 30 pickers, some of whom have been with them for 15 years or more. This year they have taken on a number of Lincoln University students as well.
2023 Edna Calendar T: 09-307 0399 then press 1 to be put through to reception E: julieb@ruralnews.co.nz ORDER NOW! ❱❱ $25 including post & packaging ❱❱ 12 of Edna’s best cartoons ❱❱ 330mm x 240mm, spiral bound EDNA!! EDNA CALENDAR 2023 “You do realise Edna, if we start to float, you’ll be breaking the law banning live animal shipments!” “Break my New Year resolution? no way – it must be the Aussie bushfires you can smell!” RURAL NEWSFARMERS, ALL FARMERS HORTNEWS SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 2 3 4 5 6 87 9 10 11 12 13 1514 16 17 18 19 20 2221 23 24 25 26 27 2928 30 31 1 2 3 4JANUARYFEBRUARYOBSERVEDWELLINGTONANNIVERSARYANNIVERSARY
Picking flowers for sale, however, is still done by hand.
Passion helps young flower grower’s career to bloom
ness, T&G Fresh, deliv ered strong results for the period however its finan cial performance was impacted by labour con straints and higher associ ated costs for the period.
“This, together with disruptions in shipping schedules, led to some quality issues and the late arrival of fruit into sev eral markets. This made it a challenging start to the year.”Over the last four
“We’re operating in an increasingly volatile envi ronment, with ongoing supply chain disruptions, growing inflationary pres sure, rising costs, mac roeconomic geopolitical events and Covid-19 con tinuing to affect some of our key markets,” says Edgecombe.“Thisisagainst a back drop of more frequent adverse weather events, as we saw with the heavy rain at the start of the Hawke’s Bay harvest which extended the har vesting window beyond the optimal period.
and orchard sales to rein vest in growth, including a $100 million state-ofthe-art automated pack house in Hawke’s Bay, with the first phase due to be operational for the 2023 apple season.
Sudesh Kissun sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
delivering its strategy.
T&G reports solid progress
“Our team did an out remained on shelves across Aotearoa New Zea land as COVID-19 spread extensively throughout the country,” says Edge combe.“This saw many of our office-based team step
FRUIT AND vegeta ble grower T&G Global reported a solid sixmonth interim results despite market chal lenges.The listed com pany, majority-owned by German company BayWa, reported a slight drop in revenue for six months ending June 30, 2022: $645m down from $652m the previous reachedOperatingyear.profit$15m,ajump of 37%, and net profit was $5.7m, up from $3.4m. T&G’s Apples business reported a decrease in revenue to $401m, com pared to $421m in 2021.
7SEPTEMBER 2022 HORTNEWS
T&G chief executive Gareth Edgecombe says while it has been a tough start to the year, the company has improved
ued to make progress on its structures.onofincludingandorchardfuture-proofedoptimisationimprovementplans,theplantingpremiumEnvybrandautomation-ready2D
people isolated and took care of themselves and theirT&Gfamilies.”chairand BayWa chief executive Benedikt Mangold says despite the complex and nexttainablecreateperformance,andsignificantclearcialwithsaysourthesafetimearisen,curveballsofinmonthsbrightenvironment,challengingT&Ghasafutureahead.“Overthelastsixtheteamhasputatremendousamountefforttotackletheasthey’vewhileatthesamekeepingeachotherandputtinginplacefoundationstodeliverlong-termstrategy,”Mangold.“Ourstrategy,togetherourstrongfinandiscipline,providesapathwaytodeliverfuturegrowthimprovedfinancialandthiswillastrongandsusbusinessforthegeneration.”
T&G’s Apples business reported a decrease in revenue due to adverse weather and lack of labour. • Deutz Tier 3 4-cylinder engine • True four wheel breaking and 100% locking differential • 3,000kg rear lift capacity • A range of andvariousconfigurationswheelforrowwidthscanopyheights Agroplus 80.4F Keyline We’re ready to do whatever it takes to keep you growing this Spring. Deal’s not quite right? Ask our team about our flexi finance options. FROM $39,990*DRIVE-AWAY TODAY *Terms, conditions & normal lending criteria applies. 30% deposit, 2.95% interest rate, monthly payments over a 36 month term. GST paid month 3. While stocks last. Offer ends 30th September 2022. Phone 0800 801 888 | deutztractors.co.nz | powerfarming.co.nzPF97338
formofgypsumwaterways.riskincentrationtionssuperphosphateHowever,applicaincreasetheconofphosphorusthesoil–raisingtheofrunoffintonearbyAsanalternative,isagoodsourcesulphur.Itcomesinathatisreadilyavail
By displacing sodium, gypsum restores soil par ticle aggregation and air spaces in the soil.
NZ soils are well known for being sul phur deficient; plants require sulphur for pro tein synthesis. Tradition ally, superphosphate has been applied to address this deficiency.
reduces soil pore spaces and may also increase soil pH in severe situations.
common sulphate min eral to pastures improves water infiltration rates and soil aggregate stabil ity. This reduces surface water runoff and phos phorus losses due to the calcium ions in gypsum binding with phosphorus.
as a multi tasker for use on farms and it is also BioGro certified. Talk to your advisor for guid ance on gypsum applica tions, based on recent soil lab tests.
charges into waterways. But nutrient losses can still occur through surface water runoff and drain age loss of nutrients from theDrainagesoil. losses can include leaching and water flowing down a
able to plants and allows the application of sul phur without the need for phosphorus additions.
Sudesh Kissun sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz READY!GETTING MANGAWEKAASPARAGUSmanagerSamRaineyoverseesan80hectareasparagusinthecentralNorthIsland.WhenHortNewsvisitedthepropertyinlateSeptember,Raineyandhisstaffwereinthefinalstagesofpreparingfortheharvest.Thepackhousewasbeingsetupandatthesametimethefirstspearsofasparaguswerestartingtoappear.Whilethetotalsizeofthepropertyis80hectares,theywillpickjust65hectaresthisseason–whichequatestoupto250tonnes.Seestorypages4and5. Replacement Spray Pumps & Spray KitsWebbline Agriculture is a directimporter/reseller of a full rangeof pumps from market-leadingmanufacturers, along with service kitsand accessories. Large range in stock.Dealer enquiries are welcome. View online - www.webbline.co.nz Contact Ben 021 819 482 | ben.boakes@webbline.co.nz WAIKATO •CANTERBURY • SOUTHLAND branches NOW PUBLISHED MONTHLY! To book your advert contact your local sales rep
tothisKuperusdomworthZealandlandfromregulatoryandwebenefitfromamorewelcomingenvironment,”saysPollard.Oniongrowerswillfacezerotariffdayone.ThetariffonNewZeaonionsiscurrently8%.Newcurrentlyexports$11millionofonionstotheUnitedKingannually.OnionsNZchiefexecutiveJamessaystheFTAwillensurethatcountry’sonionexportscontinuegrowastheworldcomestotermsoftheasciple”announcedmenteliminatedsectorKingdom.totoexportfromthebottomoftheworldlargereconomiesliketheUnited“Ofimmediatebenefittotheonionistheexpectationoftariffsbeingononions,oncetheagreecomesintoforce.”TheNewZealandGovernmentthedetailsofan“in-prinNewZealand-UKFTAlastweektradeofficialsnearedcompletingdealafterlittlemorethanayearnegotiations.KuperussaystheNZandwhichsuchgrowersHavingtionterbury.communities,willnight,atjointirelesslytiatorsanddiplomatswhohaveworkedtoconcludethisagreement.“TheNewZealandteamhashadtoZoomcallswiththeircounterpartsextremelyinconvenienttimesoftheforexample.”TheconclusionofthisagreementbenefitoniongrowersandregionalfromPukekohetoCanOnionsareanimportantrotacropformanyvegetablegrowers.onionsinarotationallowstorotatebetweenothercropsaslettuces,potatoes,carrotsetc,helpstocontrolpestsdiseases.In2019,theNewKarinbeenin-quotaproductstorywithlionZealandofkets.nessindustrydealwhileof$200NewZealandonionindustrywasworthmillionbacktothegrower,85%whichcamefromexports. MeanApicultureNewZealandsaysthewillbeagreatoutcomeforthebeeandwillimprovecompetitiveinoneoftheirlargestexportmarTheUKconsistentlyranksasonetopthreeexportmarketsforNewhoneyandisworth$70milannually.“WehavestrongtiesUKcustomers,withalonghisofexportinghigh-qualityhoneythere.However,thecurrenttariffrateof16percenthasasignificantbarriertotrade,”saysKos,chiefexecutiveofApicultureZealand.
onion sector is extremely grateful forthe hard work of New Zealand’s nego
Gypsum has long been used as a soil conditioner and fertiliser in agricul ture and horticulture, where it supplies cal cium and sulphur as soil friendlyHowever,nutrients.itisonly in the past decade that gyp sum’s potential for reduc ing farm runoff has been researched. Applying the
slope within the soil. These are affected by complex hydrological and chemical factors.
A multi-purpose product to help manage nutrient run off
SEPTEMBER 20228 HORTNEWS
Trials in the Unites States, where applica tions of gypsum alongside moderate nitrogen appli cations, found it could diminish the nitrate con tamination of surface and ground waters and poten tially increase yields*.
Gypsum is best used in targeted areas where there is surface water runoff risk and can be most effective in wide strips around run off prone areas. It also is ben eficial in effluent treated areas or pugging prone paddocks rather than over the whole farm. Tar
• Reference: Use of gypsum to reduce effluent and fertiliser nutrient losses to waterways, T A Jen kins, V Jenkins, Fertil iser and Lime Research Centre, New Zealand. 27th Annual FLRC Workshop held at Massey University, February 2014. *(Gypsum as an Agricultural amendment, W A Dick, Ohio State University, USA, Bulletin 945).
Over the past decade gypsum’s potential for reducing farm runoff has been researched.
Tim Jenkins
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 Itnationwide.isthecomplete solution for readers and advertisers, covering every aspect of the wider horticulture industry – news, agribusiness, management, markets, machinery and technology. Contact:STEPHEN POLLARD Auckland Sales Representative Ph 021 963 166 LISA WaikatoWISESales Representative Ph 027 369 9218 RON WellingtonMACKAYSales Representative Ph 021 453 914 KAYE PhChristchurchSUTHERLANDSalesRepresentative0212211994RURAL NEWS TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS Publishers of • It’s the one-stop way to reach the horticultural sector • News and information for all types of growers • 10,000 nationwide distribution • Sent out with the trusted and established publication Rural News HORTNEWS NOVEMBER 2021 ISSUE 19 ISSN 2624-3490ISSN 2624-3504 online WWW.HORTNEWS.CO.NZ –predictedcherryBumpercropPage7Sweet result for hort!SOME HORTICULTURE farmers arealso bracing for financial relief fromthe proposed free trade agreementbetween New Zealand and the UnitedKingdom.Apple,pear and onion growers areamong those set to benefit althoughandthree.consistentlyisAlannotasbigmajormeatanddairyexportNZApplesandPearschiefexecutivePollardsaysatthemomenttheUKa$100millionmarketforgrowers,rankinginthetoptwoor“WehaveaquotabetweenAugustDecemberwherevolumeabove that quota attracts an 8% tariff,” hetold Hort News Under the proposed FTA, the tariffon pears will be removed on day one,with the tariff on apples reducing overthree“So,yearsthere is some financial relief
High sodium soils can have a detrimental effect on soil structure and water infiltration. Sodium causes loss of aggregation
with Covid. “Trade and exporting benefits a diverse range of New Zealandbusinesses,” he says.“Without clear trading arrangements, improved market access andreduced tariffs, it is extremely difficult
NUTRIENTS LOST from agricultural systems can reduce waterway quality through eutrophication. This is where an excess of nutrients occur in bodies of water –due to run-off from the land and causes a dense growth of plant life. The main nutrients involved in eutrophication are nitrogen and phosphorus.
geting high risk sections of a farm will assist the economic viability of a gypsumGypsumapplication.isdescribed
During the past 20 years in New Zealand there has been a substan tial reduction in livestock access and effluent dis
She says HortNZ usu ally gives out its awards at the annual Horticul ture Conference, but the conference had to be can
A MAN who has spent more than 55 years in the horticulture sector – and counting – has won the prestigious Bledisloe Cup for horticulture this year.
PAYROLL BUILT HORTICULTUREFOR Ph 0800 110 172 w: www.agrismart.co.nz e: info@agrismart.co.nz KEY FEATURES: ❱ Bulk timesheet entry in the field (offline) ❱ Bulk timesheet editing ❱ Biometric timesheet scanner wth built in temperature monitor ❱ Caters for variable work patterns ❱ Pay employees hourly, piece rates or incentive bonuses ❱ Automatic calculation of paid breaks ❱ Automatic minimum hourly rate top ups ❱ Total transparency of how pay is calculated OTHER FEATURES: ❱ Job costing ❱ Invoicing ❱ Integration with Xero and MYOB ❱ Comprehensive reporting ❱ Rosters and task management ❱ In-built health and safety system
At that time, Grower Foods was processing
IT’S NOT EASY!
9SEPTEMBER 2022 HORTNEWS
Not long after that, Bearsley had another lucky break when Unilever came looking for someone to take
After advances from other international pro cessors, Grower Foods was then sold to McCains 5 years later. McCain have since substantially expanded production of
The cup is awarded annually in recognition of an outstanding contribu tion to commercial grow ing in New Zealand over decades.Danny Bearsley heads the company he founded, the Bearsley Group. It
Danny attributes the suc cess of the two companies to the dedication of his own staff and of the pro duction supervisors and management at Growers.
Lifetime recognisedcommitment
AN AMAZING CAREER
now specialises in export ing a range of horticul tural products – including apples, kiwifruit, pota toes, squash, onions and also sells wine and plums on the local market.
Bearsley is credited with saving the Hawke’s Bay process vegetable industry in the 1990s, when a company called Grower Foods got into financial difficulty and he stepped in and kept the company going.
over the growing and harvesting of all their sweet corn.
HortNZ vice president Bernadine Balle-Guilleux, Danny Bearsley and HortNZ chief executive Nadine Tunley.
most frozen vegetable categories.HortNZ vice president Bernadine Balle-Guilleux, who presented the award to Bearsley, says they had some outstanding nomi nations for the award that reflected the high calibre
DANNY BEARSLEY left school at 16 and got a job milking cows.
celled this year due to the uncertainty created by Covid. Bearsley says he’s honoured and delighted to be awarded the Bledis loe“WhenCup. they said it was the Bledisloe cup, I thought it was the rugby
and long-term commit ment of commercial fruit and vegetable growers through New Zealand.
“The first year I tried 30 acres and it worked and so the next year we planted 700 acres with an average yield of 5mt/acre. I was lucky when I did the 700 acres because the price doubled between planting and harvesting.
OVER THE years, Danny Bears ley’s operations have changed and it’s now smaller than it was some years ago. His company employs about 15 perma nent staff and hires about 40 RSE workers. The main crops sold are potatoes, onions and carrots to Fiji, around 500 containers per year. Squash is sent to Asia, with apples and plums also produced, kiwi
fruit to Zespri and grapes to the winery, which he has a substan tial interest in. A special product produced in the winery after vintage are kiwifruit juices. It seems retirement for Bearsley is not an option but says he wouldn’t like to be starting out now. He believes it would be impossible to do what he did in his early days – noting that it was much easier then.
Today Bearsley says he wouldn’t try getting into the same business and believes it will likely get worse with rampant inflation. He points to all the new water regulations, the acute shortage of willing competent operators and future chemical restrictions. He says all this will just make it so much harder to grow high producing crops.
In fact, there are five Bledisloe cups – one for rugby, one for horticul ture and three relating to the Ahuwhenua awards for the top Maori farmers in dairy, sheep and beef, and horticulture
Bearsley made changes to the way the crop was grown, such as planting closer row widths and the use of better harvesting machinery. He says as a result the yield of the crop averaged ten tonnes an acre – four more than in the past. Sounds great, but it turns out the higher yields became something of an embarrass ment to the factory because they couldn’t handle the extra produc tion.
in excess of 50,000mt of produce annually, a large proportion of this being produced and har vested by Bearsley Farms.
Peter Burke peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
“We were again lucky because the market doubled in the first year from what it was the previous year, so we got off to a really good start and we bought all new machinery,” he explains. “We didn’t take over any of the old machinery and as a result we did the harvest with two people instead of ten that the previous contractor used.”
one,” he told Hort News
However, after four years, at the age of just 20, he began his career in horticulture when he bought a hay baler. He bought another one a year later and another one the following year, after taking over the two other contractors servicing the Tutira-Raupunga district.
“I then started growing maize around Putorino and Kotemaori in northern Hawkes Bay, a district that no one else was growing in at that time,” he told Hort News
Award for and veg handouts
“We were proud to work alongside our mem bers and take care of our community at such a dif ficult time.”
“Getting the proj ect going was just the start. We knew that we had to establish a system of protocols to monitor the deliveries. We cre ated databases, devel oped quality control systems, put in place con trols to enable suppliers to adjust deliveries in line with demand, liaised with our FIS school staff, set up financial and report ing systems,” Dudley
SEPTEMBER 202210 HORTNEWS
could not be delivered. This amounted to over 120,000 pieces of fruit or vegetable servings every school day with over 120,000 children set to miss out on vital nutri tion.”Within days, the small team at United Fresh had sought Ministry of Health approval to divert FIS funding, presented a funding proposal to MPI
for further assistance and liaised with Foodstuffs to secure a donation of 700 boxes of fruit and vege tables.“We contacted food banks and city missions to gauge demand for fresh produce amongst their communities. As word spread, a number of smaller organisations asked to be included in the project,” Dudley adds.
normal circumstances. To manage it all under lock down with our team split into two bubbles taking turns in the office was certainly a challenge.”
fruit
“The most efficient way to move produce out to communities was to work with large food bank organisations that in turn distributed the produce to smaller groups.”
them a platform to move with speed in an unprece dented situation (national lockdown).Dudleysays the Fruit and Vegetable Box Project offered a solution to two distinct problems result ing from the lockdown.
“At the same time, school closures meant the fruit and vegetables destined for our Min istry of etablesinitiative,Health-fundedFruit&VeginSchools(FIS),
explains.“Carrying out a proj ect of this size would be quite an undertaking in
“With hospitality out lets and independent retailers forced to close, thousands of tonnes of fresh fruit and vegeta bles were at risk of being wasted. Crops destined for restaurants, tour ism outlets, cruise ships and airline catering were already planted, picked, or packed and our grower and wholesaler members needed alternative chan nels to move this produce quickly or face financial hardship,” she explains.
THE FRUIT PROJECTVEGETABLEANDBOXSTATISTICS ❱❱ 10 regions ❱❱ 25 food distribution centres ❱❱ 125 satellite organisations ❱❱ 294,000 boxes delivered in 2020 ❱❱ 50,000 boxes delivered in 2021 The efforts by a team at United Fresh New Zealand to redirect hundreds of tonnes of fresh food and vegetables to food banks and community organisations has been recognised. Up to 93% reduction in spray loss on the ground Up to 73% consumptionreductionofspray Up to 87% reduction in airborne drift With the precise and easy-to-use BA Smart Sprayer powered by Smart-Apply®, you will use fewer chemicals with better control and reliability for maximum profitability. *As Per Research By USDA Choose Smart. Know More, Control More, Yield More. CONTACT US TODAY FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REQUEST A DEMO AT YOUR FACILITY. 0800 833 538 | www.basmartspray.co.nz
The United Fresh team managed to mobilise members to get the proj ect up and running on 6 April 2020 – less than two weeks after the first lock down was announced.
AS THE country prepared to lock down in March 2020, a small team at United Fresh New Zea land quickly realised the impact this would have on the country’s $6 bil lion horticulture industry. Their efforts to redi rect hundreds of tonnes of fresh fruit and vege tables to food banks and community organisa tions has now resulted in a place in the finals of the Primary Industries New Zealand workculminationtablesaysmanager,UnitedAwards.FreshgeneralPaulaDudley,theFruitandVegeBoxProjectwastheofyearsoffortheteam.“We’vebeensupportingandpromotingthefreshproduceindustry,workingwiththeentirevaluechain,fromseedproducerandgrowertoconsumerfor30years.”Shesaystherelationshipsandnetworksestablishedinthattimegave
She says that while the United Fresh team set up and managed the proj ect, its success was due to the cooperation of United Fresh members and pro fessionalism of the food distribution centres.
He has also been conducting research into bee parasites in Thailand, both to better understand Tropilaelaps, and to tap local knowledge to
“They’ve gotten rid of the big shell. They’ve streamlined their body size and spread their legs in this semi-circular pattern over their body,” he explains.“They’re harder to see except when they’re moving and they are very fast.”They are also what he calls “rude” diners. Unlike Varroa, which latches onto its host and stays put, feeding through a single bite hole, Tropi mites can bite a new hole every time they feed.
identify and evaluate possible measures.controlRamseysays the mite was so little known in the West that it did not even have a common name when he first began studying it. He has been calling it the Tropi Mite,
A high-profile science educator and speaker known in the US simply as ‘Dr Sammy,’
Ramsey says they breed much faster than Varroa, and probably also have the capacity to transmit as many viruses. Unlike Varroa, they spend only a short period on adult bees outside the brood
Sammy Ramsey speaks at the recent Apiculture NZ Conference in Christchurch.
MIGHTY TOUGH MITE
reproductive cycle and that is deeply concerning, because that was something that slowed the progression of the life cycle of Varroa and it also slowed down the amount of damage that they were doing inside of theRamseycolony.”said people wrongly thought for decades that Varroa were bloodsuckers – and assumed Tropi were the same – but his research has now shown the Varroa diet to be body fat.
PHOTO: NIGEL MALTHUS
them on the brood. Formic acid was one of the very few of the treatments available for Varroa to do Inso.the research he carried out in conjunction with locals, he tested standard formic acid strips, but also a method he discovered some local beekeepers using, soaking wooden strips in liquid industrial strength formic acid and slipping those into the hives.
Ramsey said that while adult bees were usually “pretty chill” about the standard formic acid treatment, the liquid acid had them “tripping over themselves” to get out of the hives.
@rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews FOLLOW US:
Ramsey told the conference that chemical controls used for Varroa do not work well on Tropilaelaps because of their very different life cycles.“Currently on this planet there is not a single chemical or treatment method registered for the control of Tropi mites. That always makes me shudder when I say it,” he says. However, his recent research suggests significant value in highdose formic acid, as used by Thai beekeepers.Ramseysays that because Tropi spend so little time on adult bees, they need a treatment that gets past the cell capping and targets
New bee parasite poses a major risk to sector
“We don’t know whether they’re feeding on the bees’ back body, whether it’s their blood or whether it’s some other tissue entirely, and that is something that we need to determine as soon as possible.”
and the name seems to be sticking.Ramsey says it is smaller and faster than the “bumbling goofball of a parasite” that is Varroa.
“Tropicells.do not need to spend any time on the adult bees in order to go through their
A Tropilaelaps mite, right, in contrast to Varroa. Courtesy The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), UK Crown Copyright
“We don’t know whether they’re feeding on the bees’ back body, whether it’s their blood or whether it’s some other tissue entirely, and that is something that we need to determine as soon as possible.”Tropimites had also been assumed not to be a danger outside the tropics because it was thought impossible for them to survive cold winters. However, they are now in the cold north of China and Korea.
BEEKEEPERS NEED to wake up to the threat of a new bee parasite that is steadily expanding around the parasitesofcalledinApiculturespeakerEurope.onVarroatheMiddlewelluphomespreadTropilaelapsRamseyentomologistAmericanworld.DrSammysaysthemitehasfromitsoriginalinSouthEastAsiaintoEastAsia,asaswestwardstotheEast.Followingsameroutethattook,itisnowthecuspofinvadingAkeyinternationalattherecentConferenceChristchurch,RamseyTropilaelaps“onethemostconcerningthatIknowof”.
11SEPTEMBER 2022 HORTNEWS
Nigel Malthus
FELCO TOOLS
“They can go to April, May –some even go to June. But that’s not what I wanted anyway,” he says.“Idid this to make it easier, save a bit of money hopefully and keep my staff.”
Power through even the biggest jobs with ease. Designed to act as an extension of your body, the new FELCO Power Blade series feature lightweight, ergonomic handles for comfortable pruning all day long. NEW
but strawberries are supply and demand. We can’t hold them back to create demand because they go off. What we pick we have to sell. If there’s a flush, it affects the price.”Rakich admits most people that grow hydroponics on table tops are also under cover and they can have a longer season.
costs. My older, good workers could still do it.
“All our costs have gone up, all the packaging, transport with fuel, labour has gone up again,
Pam Tipa
“That is the way it should be done. Growing like we do, the weather
harder to get soil condi tionsLabourright.was another driver of change; lower labour costs plus the fact that his best and long serving workers were get ting older. The elevated hydroponic ‘tabletops’ mean less bending and easier“Theypicking.were my good workers but they were struggling. That’s when I
still affects them.”
“I decided six years ago my ground was get ting worse, my soil struc ture wasn’t good. I have some nice areas but I have too much clay here. The motorway went through so we lost some land with better soil.”
trollable factors like flights, which could hold up exports for days.
POWER
THREE GENERATIONS of Anthony Rakich’s family have been growing straw berries in West Auck land, using the traditional methods for at least 90 years.However, around 5-6 years ago, Rakich decided a switch to hydroponic growing was the way to go at their Whenu apai property, Danube Orchards. “We had always been doing strawber ries the traditional way in the ground on mounds,” Rakich, who is Strawberry Growers NZ chairman, told Hort News
The young ones come and go because they want full time work, which I can’tRakichoffer.”says most people that grow on tabletops put them under cover, which means they have a longer season.
“We couldn’t compete with down the line, they can grow apples cheaper than we can,” he told Hort News. “We went bigger into strawberries and just focused on them.”
SEPTEMBER 202212 HORTNEWS
The family moved to the Whenuapai property in the early 1970s where his father continued pipfruit and stonefruit, with a small block of strawberries. When Anthony left school, he followed his mother’s advice to try another
“They are on trolleys, they work all the way down the row, get to the end, unload the trolley, put the empty boxes back on and work back up the other side of the row. It is
he hopes the wet winter will mean a dryer spring and the magic formula of good produc tion and good prices.
Strawberry growing no easy pickings!
Anthony Rakich with his strawberry hydroponics system.
“We’d have to send the straw berries earmarked for export into the likes of Turners and Growers. But so would everyone else and we would get terrible money for it,” he “Mostexplains.times when exports stopped, it seemed to be a Friday and the markets weren’t open on Saturday. What do you do with your fruit? You’ve got to cool store it until Sunday night. We made the decision, let’s just focus on the localBuildingmarket.”up to the new season,
CONTINUING THE FAMILY TRADITION
The last couple of years have beenLasttough.year, prices were up but production was down. There was a lot of second grade fruit for all outdoor growers which still had to be“Theprocessed.yearbefore that wasn’t a good year either, so hopefully this year is better.
Available at your local FELCO Stockist. Heiniger is the exclusive FELCO distributor and authorised service centre in NZ - contact us to find a FELCO dealer near you. (03) 349 8282 | heiniger.co.nz
Swiss
He says this has made it harder and it restricted crop rotation. It was also
decided to grow on table tops. My reason wasn’t to get an earlier or longer season, it was just to grow strawberries the same but more easily and with less cost,” he told Hort News.
Rakich says their strawber ries were then mainly exported but there were too many uncon
But Rakich says that capital cost would have been even higher and his aim was not major expan sion but to make the job easier and cut costs.
Hething.adds that it is hard to estimate his sav ings, because costs have risen with inflation and the past two seasons have been difficult for the sector in general, but the benefits of the hydro ponic system are clear. The main saving is labour.
precision. Made to last. FELCO 211 LOPPERS The perfect balance of power and manoeuvrability. The FELCO 211 range feature lightweight aluminium handles for comfortable cutting and curved cutting heads to pull in and easily slice through branches
a lot more efficient.”
decide if it would work.
Rakich admits when the plant manufactured in England and China arrived, and his property was covered with multiple components all needing construction, he won dered if he had done the right
The capital cost was $300,000/ha for a Hay grove system, an English based company. Before investing, he experi mented with his own makeshift models to
“I knew the capi tal cost was going to be huge but my annual costs would be less – not having to fumigate, the polythene etc – but the main thing was labour
“I can do it with fewer workers. The workers work more efficiently. They are happier because they are standing and not walking back and for wards with picking boxes.
worry.”Hesupplies
Food stuffs, which takes all his produce. In the early days, his family were exporters mainly to the United States where there was window, from Octo ber, November and some times December. Now strawberries are grown there almost year-round.
ANTHONY RAKICH’S grandpar ents grew mainly pipfruit and stonefruit in Henderson, but his grandmother always grew straw berries.There is a photo of his father, who is now 92, as a baby in the strawberries – so the family has been growing the crop for more than 90 years.
He says another beauty of the system is control – it shows pretty quickly if the inputs are wrong so it’s easily rec tified.Rakich has managed to extend his season by a month because he doesn’t have to prepare the soil. Under the pre vious system they would have done that in Febru ary to ensure the ground was dry. “With the table top it doesn’t matter. There’s no tractor work, you don’t have to go on the ground. You put the bags up, hydrate the bags and plant. It’s less of that
job first for a different experience. However, in 1984 he decided to come back to the orchard and growTheystrawberries.werestillgrowing apples but industry deregulation in the early 1990s killed those sectors for Auckland growers.
Get in Fieldaysbehind2022 and book your space to exhibit Forworld.businessshowcaseandyourtothebookinginformation email sales@fieldays.co.nz 30NOV -3 DEC 30 Nov - 3 Dec 2022 DON’T GET FOMO
Pic’s alone churns through one tonne of peanuts every hour to produce as many as 28,000 jars of peanut butter every single day.
“Peanuts being a legume act as a nitrogen fixer and can easily sit within a farming rotational system, helping reduce the need for nitrogen application.”
NZ peanut future on trial
SEPTEMBER 202214 HORTNEWS
A sample harvest during the feasibility study in 2021 saw promis
peanut butter per hect are, but the aim would be to double this to around 10,000 over time.
ing results and this year’s crops have provided fur ther information on the cultivars most suited for potential commercial via bility in the Northland climate.Final results are due to be delivered in the coming months includ ing an all-important taste test.Vaughan Cooper, acting chief executive
Northland was chosen for a combination of cli matic“Firstly,factors.it’s warmer which means the peanuts can be planted earlier and have a longer growing season which maximises yield and secondly there is generally more reliable rainfall over summer,” says“OtherHall. important fac tors to producing com mercial yields of good quality peanuts are friable soils as in sandy loams and access to irrigation if natural rainfall is not suf
ficient.”Further farmers would be required if a successful trial moves forward into the commercial space, he says.“A business case will be developed as part of the trials to give the hard data required to help establish a new emerging industry and the best way forward to maximise farmgate returns, for
Hort News the farmers involved in the trials are a mix of pri vate and iwi landown ers across five sites, with a mix of dairy and beef farming. Currently they also grow maize and silage for stock feed.
Picot made his first peanut butter in a concrete mixer in his garage in 2007. Pic’s is sold in supermarkets around New Zealand and Australia, and in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, China, the UK, and the US.
Pam Tipa
MPI believes establishing a peanut industry in Northland would help diversify its regional economy and create employment.
The project is funded by Picot Productions (makers of Pic’s Peanut Butter), Ministry for Primary Inc,managerfeasibilityaNorthlandFibreSustainableIndustries’FoodandFuturesfundandInc,followingsuccessfulone-yearstudyin2021.GregHall,projectatNorthlandtold
example this could be a cooperative model.
A PEANUT growing industry may be estab lished in New Zealand if current trials are suc cessful.Field trials across five sites in Northland have just been harvested as part of a $1 million project looking into the feasibility of commercially growing the nuts in New Zealand for peanut butter.
Pic’s currently imports about 2,500 tonnes of nuts to produce its peanut butter each year. Kiwi crops wouldn’t be able
of Northland Inc, says the trial allows them to assess the opportunity and potential benefits of creating a new indus try within Northland, while taking the risk out of diversification for our farmers.When run at scale the group behind the trial estimates crops could produce enough nuts for 4,500 jars of
to completely fulfil this demand, but owner Pic Picot says even having a portion grown locally would be a real win.
Are you hitting your market?target Contact your local sales representative for more information ✔ BREAKING NEWS ✔ MACHINERY REVIEWS ✔ MANAGEMENT STORIES ✔ AND MUCH MORE... HORTNEWS RURAL NEWS TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS Auckland Stephen Pollard Ph 021-963 166 Waikato Lisa Wise Ph 027-369 9218 Wellington Ron Mackay Ph 021-453 914 Christchurch Kaye Sutherland Ph 021-221 1994
controlweedMechanical
SPRAYERAUTOMONOUS
Also rear-mounted, the EC-Ridger 9 comprises a range of tool modules that can be used to adapt the machine to changing conditions and the vari ous growth stages of a developing crop. Featur ing a module with blades for hoeing on ridges and a module with hoeing discs for working in between ridges. Depth control wheels ensure that both elements maintain a pre cise working Complementarydepth.
the quick-change imple ment system. www.lemken.com
ment that is particularly well suited for working in difficult conditions. A leaf guard can be added to prevent crops from becoming damaged or buried when the imple ment hoes move along the sides and rebuilds the ridges.Asan option, the ridg ing bodies can be replaced by ridging discs for use in lighter soils. Meanwhile, a subsoiler option can be specified for more chal lenging conditions.
Key benefits of the machine include accurate application and minimisation of overspray. This not only saves on chemicals, but also removes operators from exposure to harmful sprays.
AS THE pressure mounts to reduce herbicide use and deliver chemicalfree food, farms growing ridge crops are faced with a problem of reducing weed burdens to maintain yields.German
tools available include spring tines, subsoiler, ridging discs and ridging shares, with the individual mod ules easily selected using
The Steketee EC Ridger offers growers of ridge crops a way of managing weeds without using chemical options.
turesrear-mountedwhichandablerear-mountedridges.frommentslightweightthethatfollowedtheloosenofonHoeingworkswidths.designedRidgertionoffersmanufacturermachineryLEMKENaviablesoluwithitsSteketeeEC5,7and9models,for75cmrowThemachineinthreestages.discscutweedsthetopandthesidestheridge,springtinesthevoidsbetweenridges,beforebeingbyridgingbodiesreinstatetheridgetodesiredprofile.TheEC-Ridger5usesbasiceleforremovingweedsthetopsandsidesofItcanbefrontorandissuitforuseinlightersoilswithsmallercropsrequirelessridging.TheEC-Ridger7,aunit,featheTRShoeingele
The “combo” is said to provide a robust and ver satile ground-based platform. It offers a plethora of spraying capabilities at an affordable price. The machine utilises a Trimble control system and Weed seeker sensors to deliver a full suite of variable rate application and targeted applications.
UK compact sprayer manufacturer Martin Lish man Ltd has ventured into the world of autonomous spraying after being approached by UK-based preci sion equipment specialist Manterra Ltd.
IN A world of self-driving tractors, cars and even lawnmowers, there’s no doubt that the precision and reliability of GPS is sweeping across many industries.
www.martinlishman.com GRAND AWARDSDINNERFINAL&CEREMONY 6.00pm, Wednesday 9th November, 2022 Karaka Bloodstock, Auckland $195 INCL GST OR $1950 PER TABLE OF 10 EARLY BIRD TICKETS $175.00 each (5th September – 7th October) Join us to celebrate the achievements of the 2022 finalists and network with people across the horticultural industry. 6.00pm Pre dinner drinks sponsored by Marisco Vineyards 7.00pm Welcome by our MC Introducing the 2022 finalists Finalists present their speeches Buffet dinner, complimentary wine sponsored by Marisco Vineyards Prelude to the awards ceremony Speech by 2021 winner, Rhys Hall Awards ceremony & winner announced Mix and mingle Now!EarlyBirdBook Tickets available from Eventbrite, link on website www.younghort.co.nz, email info@younghort.co.nz or Ph: 09 294 7129
15SEPTEMBER 2022 HORTNEWS
Mark Daniel markd@ruralnews.co.nz
The collaboration has seen a Martin Lishman Mini-Spray 125 litre demount sprayer with a 3.5m boom being mounted on a Manterra XAG R150 fully autonomous utility vehicle, to create a go-anywhere, unmanned GPS-controlled spraying system.
MORE THAN A TICK EXERCISEBOX
project funded through the experiencedincludingfeedbackdevelopment30growersbymodule.wellandenablesGovernment.Thenewversionbettermappingproductlookup,asasariskassessmentItisusedannuallymorethan1,000acrossmorethancroptypes.Thenewsystem’sfollowedfromusers,AndyMawley,anagrichemical
A sprayer on a vineyard. Credit: Croplands
He adds that while modern agrichem ical sprays were typically “softer” on the environment than those used in the past, climate change pressures and the emergence of new pests and diseases has required use of greater quantities of sprays in many areas.
ANDY MAWLEY saw an opportunity with SprayPlan Manager to move growers and farmers from simply “ticking the box” when spraying to proactively thinking about how they could do it in the best way possible.Hewants
“There was nothing else like that I could find globally. I figured if it could be done it would be an invaluable resource for all growers, along with industry bodies like Zespri and NZ Wine and every regional council across the country.”
Simplifying managementspray
their compliance processes while ensuring the health and safety of their workers and making a meaningful difference to the environment at the sameThetime.”latest version of the platform is a complete rebuild of the original version built by HortPlus in collaboration with Plant & Food Research in 2008, as part of a larger pesticide risk reduction
spraying contractor and educator, who teaches responsible spraying practises to growers and farmers across New Zealand through his business ProActive Education.SprayPlan Manager is supported by New Zealand Wine and fundingsectorEquipmentCroplandsasafreepan-toolforgrowers.HortPlusreceivedsupportfrom
The new SprayPlan manager has better functionality and a powerful new mapping system to help whoaBarleyHortPluspracticesandimplementtofarmersforwardmovessupportcertificationPracticesGlobaltheirhelpsDocumentinganyaboutprovidingenableEndorsedregionalthatupdateareasenvironmentallyanyfarmersmakesHortPlus,agritechareas.environmentallyidentifysensitiveDevelopedbyKiwicompanythesystemitsimpleforandgrowersinindustrytoidentifysensitiveandcreateeasy-to-digitalsprayplanscomplywithcouncilairqualityplans.TheGrowsafetoolhelpsbestpracticebyinformationagrichemicalsandhazardstheypose.theirusegrowersdemonstratecommitmenttotheGoodAgricultural(GlobalGAP)scheme.“We’redelightedtoafreetoolthattheindustrybyhelpingandgrowerseffectivelyplanandresponsiblesustainablesprayingontheirland,”directorMikesays.“SprayPlanManagerismusthaveforanygrowerwantstostreamline
Callaghan Innovation to assist with development of the latest re-build.
them to practice spraying for health, safety and the environment’s benefit.
The project was also enabled by a team of final year software engineer students from Waikato University who helped provide sprayplan.nzbeandissupport.developmentSprayPlanManagerfreetoallgrowersfarmersandcanaccessedatwww.
SEPTEMBER 202216 HORTNEWS
“Manyyear. councils were now updating their regional air quality plans to require growers in their region to have a spray plan in place.”
“You can spray the most sensitive areas on your land at the most appropriate times, while considering weather condi tions and spray drift, getting the job done quicker, and using the right quantity of spray,” he explains.
“The increase in rural subdivisions is another factor that means that spray plans are becoming more important for New Zealand growers and their neigh bours.”Mawley says SprayPlan Manager makes it easy to create and maintain a plan.
“I find the new maps and features built into the tool really interactive – if you involve your team in the planning process early and they understand how sprays can affect their health and the environment, they are much more likely to manage the risk.”
Mawley says the new NZS8409: Management of Agrichemicals standard was released by Standards New Zealand last
A FREE online tool that helps growers manage risks associated with agrichemical use on their land has received a significant upgrade.