Hort News 1 August 2023

HORTNEWS

We will come right!

resilient from extreme weather events.

HORT NZ chair Barry O’Neil believes the horticulture sector will rise again from the present disastrous situation.

He says a recent report by MPI shows that, with the exception of viticulture, the hort sector is either flat or reducing. O’Neil believes this is due to the terrible growing conditions that have plagued the sector for the past two years. He told Hort News this was not just Cyclone Gabrielle, but a succession of other adverse events.

“This is certainly a blip on earlier growth projections, but in my view horticulture will rise and continue to rise from this and will continue to grow,” he adds. “The present situation has impacted over the entire horticulture sector and been devastating for some, but horticulture will be able to get through this.”

O’Neil says growers, where they can, will make changes to their production systems. But he adds for those who grow on flood plains and are dependent on protection systems such as stopbanks, the hope is that these will be designed to deal with the sort of events that are being experienced.

O’Neil says more growers are having covers over their crops and finding ways to make drains cope better with floodwaters.

He believes they are becoming more

“But I know that a number of grow ers are angry and I can understand that… if I was in their situation, I would be angry as well,” he adds.

“I think this anger is about going through the grief cycle where they find themselves faced with a prob lem not of their making. A situa tion where the flood protection systems that were put in place to protect their businesses have failed and they can’t see a way forward. Understandably, they are angry about that.”

O’Neil says, despite all this, sooner or later people have got to get themselves out of that position and find a way forward. He reck ons part of this will be finding ways to support these people who have lost their businesses and a life’s work.

He told Hort News that HortNZ is doing everything it can do to help and support affected growers through this.

O’Neil says the wellbeing of growers is the number one priority and a lot of effort is going into supporting growers from a number of organisations – such as the Hawke’s Bay Fruitgrowers Asso ciation, the Horticulture Charitable Trust and the Rural Support Network.

“A lot of activities are underway and more will be needed and will continue to be needed to support the wellbeing of growers and farmers throughout the recovery.”

Peter Burke peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

Hort NZ chair Barry O’Neil believes the sector will be able to get through the current difficult times and continue to grow and thrive.

September’s blossoms will indicate this year’s potential export crop

THE AMOUNT of blossom on the country’s apple trees in September will be the first indication of how much fruit NZ may have to ship overseas in the coming season.

Logistics manager for T&G Global, Simon Beale, says at this stage it’s too hard to estimate exactly the size of the export apple crop.

He says the word is that the apple crop will be down by 30% and that kiwifruit will also take a hit due to adverse weather.

Beale told Hort News that the jury is still out on how many apples will be available from Hawke’s Bay because no one knows how the trees damaged by Cyclone Gabrielle will perform. He says the problems in Hawke’s Bay may continue for a number of years to come with the volumes progressively rising.

For Beale, whose role is to get the fruit to dif-

ferent markets all around the world, the serious planning begins after the trees blossom.

“From then on we start committing volumes to the shipping lines for the different markets and that

LOWERING CARBON FOOTPRINT

WITH THE issue of emissions high on the primary sector agenda, Beale says shipping companies are working to reduce emissions from their fleets.

He says they have set various target dates –2025, 2030 and 2050 – to progressively reduce these.

“About three years ago we got low sulphur fuel and that took out something like 15% of the sulphur out of the fuel.”

Beale says ships that can run on biofuels are now being built and other fuels such as hydrogen and LNG are being used. But he says, in the end, not all ships may be converted to run on low emission fuels. However, these vessels will be required to steam at a slower speed to reduce their pollution.

using the different services we have got on offer by the shipping lines.”

can vary seasonally due to weather or other circumstances.

includes imports as well as exports,” he told Hort News

“Once we get our vol-

TEARS OF JOY OVER EU FTA

THE NEW Zealand onion industry has welcomed the recent signing of the free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU).

It says the agreement will see the elimination of tariffs worth over $6 million annually on NZ onion exports to the EU and has also addressed tech-

nical barriers to trade.

“The EU is the number one market for New Zealand onion exports. Tariff savings of 9.6% puts the New Zealand onion industry on a level footing with competitors such as Chile and South Africa,” Onions New Zealand chief executive, James Kuperus says.

umes sorted out, we start locking in the volumes for weekly shipping by region and by discharge port

He thanked the officials in New Zealand and the EU for supporting export industries like onions, which play a key role in regional economies across New Zealand.

Kuperus says onion growers from South Auckland to Canterbury will benefit from this FTA.

Beale says most of their fruit goes out through the ports of Napier, Nelson and Otago but some is transhipped through Tauranga onto other vessels. He says the shipping lines are very accommodating and understand the flow of primary products, which

“‘It is now important that the New Zealand Government, post-election, passes the necessary legislation to bring this FTA into effect so producers and exporters can make use of it next season.”

Kuperus says the agreement is even more important given the extremely

“We have a very good relationship with them,” he explains.

“They are pretty adaptable – especially if we give them an early indication if something goes wrong because it gives them a chance to fill those containers up with other cargo.”

difficult season onion producers have had in the North Island.

In the year to March 2023, the New Zealand onion industry exported $143million worth of onions to 45 countries and employed 1050 people.

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Peter Burke peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

T&G Global’s Simon Beale says, at this stage, it’s too hard to estimate exactly the size of the export apple crop.

Potatoes NZ appoints new CEO

POTATOES NEW Zealand

has appointed Kate Trufitt as its new chief executive.

A director of Horticulture NZ, she has held many roles in the horticulture sector. According to the Potatoes NZ website, Trufitt has a great breadth of experience from plant nursery, growing, postharvest and processing through to the market – both domestic and export.

This experience has been gained across several horticultural crops. With a career started in marketing and operational logistics, Trufitt then turned her skills to human resources, compliance, health & safety and more recently sustainability.

She has been involved in senior management

and governance roles and believes this gives a perfect balance of experience to take the helm of Potatoes NZ.

According to HortNZ’s website, Trufitt chairs the Kiwifruit Industry Health and Safety Forum and the NZ Hort Health and Safety Council. She’s also a member of the NZ Avocado Packers Forum.

Trufitt will be one of the key speakers at Potatoes NZ’s annual conference in Christchurch this month (August). The daylong conference theme revolves around futureproofing NZ potatoes.

Other speakers include economist Cameron Bagrie and industry veteran John Jackson, agriculture director, McCain Foods Australia and New Zealand.

Jackson has been involved in the potato industry for more than 35 years, with experience in

crop procurement, strategic planning, research and development, agronomy, and company operations.

Jackson was involved from the inception of McCain Foods, the country’s first manufacturing operation which now has two processing plants in New Zealand. These process more than 200,000 tonnes of potatoes and vegetables annually with a permanent workforce of more than 300 employees nationwide.

Another speaker, Agrilink director Andrew Barber, has been involved in agricultural engineering consultancy for 20 years. Barber has extensive experience in project managing complex multi-stakeholder projects. Among his successes is the Franklin Sustainability Project, which was launched in response to soil erosion.

One of his current

responsibilities is man aging the joint industry project Sustainable Veg etable Systems (SVS), focusing on nitrogen leaching and nutrient budgeting in outdoor vegetable production systems.

nical manager Iain Kirkwood will also speak at the confer ence.

pathology expert, Kirkwood’s career in the potato industry started 35 years ago as a potato roguer for seed growers on the east coast of Scotland.

Sudesh Kissun

Kate Trufitt is the new chief executive of Potatoes NZ.

Agreement on supply chain resilience

Peter Burke peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

NEW ZEALAND has signed up to an agreement designed to improve supply chains in the Indo Pacific region.

Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor recently joined ministerial representatives at a meet-

ing in Detroit, USA, to conclude negotiations of a new regional supply chain agreement among 14 Indo-Pacific countries. He says the agreement is designed to ensure supply chains do not constrain progress made on trade. The supply chains agreement is one of four pillars being negotiated within the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework

(IPEF) initiative launched in September 2022.

O’Connor says the cost of sending a shipping container from NZ to the USA at the height of the Covid crisis grew from $2,000 to $10,000, while the time taken for shipping containers to travel across major global shipping routes skyrocketed from under

60 days to more than 120 days. He says the IPEF is a novel type of agreement that will provide new channels of collaboration amongst regional countries.

“It covers new ground on modern issues such as the digital economy and accelerating climate action. The group includes the US and many of

the large Asian countries, including Japan, Korea, India and most members of ASEAN.”

O’Connor says it’s in NZ’s interest to be part of this IPEF agreement and ensure that supply chains can weather global events.

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The country’s avocado sector set up well for the future – outgoing boss

Sudesh Kissun sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

OUTGOING CHIEF executive of New Zealand Avocado, Jen Scoular believes the sector is well set up despite a challenging environment for growers around the globe.

Scoular, who finishes off on August 14, says export markets for NZ growers are established and exporters have developed good relationship in key markets. This should help growers, who have been facing low returns for the past few years.

Scoular joined NZ Avocado over 12 years ago, fresh from a fouryear term as a trade diplomat in Hamburg, Germany.

The avocado industry was struggling.

But under her leadership, industry value has increased from $82 million in 2011 to $231m in 2021.

Scoular also worked hard to achieve market access for NZ avocados into key export markets like India and China.

A GOOD INDUSTRY SERVANT

ANNOUNCING JEN Scoular’s resignation in May this year, NZ Avocado Growers’ Association chair Linda Flegg noted that Scoular had served the sector tirelessly.

Flegg says Scoular’s achievements along the way are many.

“When Jen took up the role our industry was struggling and lacked engagement, communication and systems, which gave Jen a lot to focus on,” says Flegg.

“Under her leadership industry value has increased from $82m in 2011-12 to $231m in 2021, and the

New Zealand market value from $19m to $62m in 2021-22.

“During her tenure the industry successfully achieved market access for avocados into both the China and India market, joined the biosecurity partnership with the government and achieved the first horticulture primary growth partnership in 2014, which finished in December 2022.”

Flegg says the successful primary growth partnership, with Crown investment, allowed real change in how the industry operated, with strong external investment

across several areas, where investment from grower levies alone was not enough to make the required change.

“The tenth World Avocado Congress here in New Zealand in April was a fitting finale for Jen and with five years in the planning, against the odds of Covid and border closures, it was a phenomenal success,” says Flegg.

“Jen developed and led an amazing team who work strongly together to support growers, packers and marketers grow value

“I am proud of the achievements of the industry under my watch. I know it is set up well, with systems, team capability, strong market access and excellent biosecurity,” she told Hort News

“I’ve built up the industry body well and am very proud of the growth in value under my leadership.”

Scoular acknowledged that the last couple of years have been tough for growers.

While domestic returns have held up, export returns suffered due to a global imbalance in supply and demand.

Increased Australian production resulted in an “avalanche” of avocados last year which saw retail prices plummet across the ditch.

Peru is also emerging as a major exporter into markets and at times that have previously been available for New Zealand fruit.

Scoular says Australian growers planted lots of trees over the last 10 years.

“We knew this was

of the NZ avocado sector. That team was instrumental in the success of the World Avocado Congress and the value created for the avocado sector from the visibility achieved.

“On behalf of the board, growers and industry parties we thank Jen for her commitment to delivering value to growers through a very strong growth period, and growing the visibility of our sector, and of avocados, both in New Zealand and globally,” Flegg adds. “She has left a legacy that will require some big shoes to fill.”

happening and developed Asian markets for our avocados,” she says.

On the other hand, Australia is just starting to export avocados. That country’s first 10 trial shipments of avocados to India took place last week.

Scoular says NZ Avocado recognised the need to set up Asian markets through the Primary Growth partnership and work started eight years ago. New Zealand avocados have been exported to Asia for the past seven years. Market access to China and India were approved over the last 6 years.

She says a very good industry systems are in place to ensure all avocados meet export market requirements to these markets.

Scoular said after 12 years it was time to stand down.

“I always had the World Avocado Congress as a potential end point, and the huge success of that congress and the amazing visibility we received from that was absolute high point for me.

I am also leaving a hugely capable team, one I have been very proud to develop and lead. I leave knowing avocados are an amazing fruit and have a great future, but there will be some changes in how that might happen going forward.

“I’m comfortable with what I’ve achieved, and where I’ve taken the industry.”

Scoular plans to take a break before looking at governance and consulting roles within the NZ agri sector.

After 12 years in the role Jen Scoular is stepping down, this month, as NZ Avocado chief executive.

Fresh buzz in sector

Peter Burke peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

THINGS ARE looking up for the country’s bee industry, following a

couple of difficult years.

That’s the view of ApicultureNZ chief executive Karin Kos in the wake of the organisation’s recent annual conference, held

in Rotorua and attended by 700 people.

Kos told Hort News that while it’s been a tough season, the mood of the conference was

EU/NZ FTA SIGNING WELCOMED

KOS SAYS signing of EU free trade agreement takes the sector one step closer to the removal of tariffs on all NZ honey exported into the European Union.

She says the EU is an important market for NZ’s honey exporters and we have a long history of exporting high-quality honey products there. Kos says the removal of the current in-quota tariff rate of 17.3%, when the agreement comes into force, will make a huge difference to honey exports to the EU –which are worth about $60 million.

She says the sector is thrilled that the agreement also includes

the definition of mānuka and a separate tariff recognising the inherent distinctiveness of mānuka as a taonga species exclusively from New Zealand.

“The EU’s recognition of mānuka as a taonga species is significant in helping progress the next step in securing geographical indications for mānuka honey, an initiative that is strongly supported by both industry and iwi,” she adds

But Kos says while all this gives the sector a bit of optimism, it has to be grounded on the fact that the last three years have been pretty tough.

actually quite good. She added that hearing news from exporters that overseas markets are starting to open up was positive for bee keepers.

But Kos concedes there is a still a hangover from the past bad seasons and there is a need to sell some of the honey that remains stored and

unsold around the country. But she adds that some sales are starting to happen, especially in the South Island.

“No doubt it’s tough,

but there was a sense that actually coming together at the conference is really important,” she explains.

“There is a lot happening in our industry and we need to be across that. For example, looking at the hive numbers in 2019 there were close to one million hives, now it is 620,000.

So, the industry has adjusted and we are hoping that it won’t have to adjust too much more.”

Kos believes that many of the people who have dropped out of the industry were the smaller operators and – in some cases – new entrants to the industry. But she says with this adjustment has come the good news that the United States is becoming a really important market for Manuka Honey and that the Chinese market is also starting to open up.

GETTING READY!

to conclude this agreement. “The New Zealand team has had toatjoinZoomcallswiththeircounterparts night,extremelyinconvenienttimesofthe for example.” The conclusion of this agreement willbenefitoniongrowersandregional communities, from Pukekohe to Can- terbury. Onions are an important rota- tion crop for many vegetable growers. Having onions in a rotation allows growers to rotate between other crops such as lettuces, potatoes, carrots etc, which helps to control pests and diseases. In 2019, the

NewZealandonionindustrywasworth $200 million back to the grower, 85% of which came from exports.   MeandealwhileApicultureNewZealandsaysthe industrywillbeagreatoutcomeforthebee andwillimprovecompetitivenessinoneoftheirlargestexportmarkets. The UK consistently ranks as one of top three export markets for New Zealand honey and is worth $70 mil- lion annually. “We have strong ties with UK customers, with a long his- tory of exporting high-quality honey products there. However, the current in-quota tariff rate of 16 per cent hasbeenasignificantbarriertotrade,”says KarinKos,chiefexecutiveofApiculture New Zealand.

Things are looking up for the country’s bee industry, following a couple of difficult years.

Apple growers in waiting game in the wake of Gabrielle

SOME APPLE orchardists in Hawke’s Bay will have to wait up to three months to find out to what degree their trees have survived from the ravages of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Apples and Pears NZ, which represents growers, says September is when the buds normally start appearing on trees. But chair Richard Punter says there is no guarantee that all the trees that are still standing have survived and can produce again to their full potential.

He says orchardists have done all the cleanup work, such as clearing silt away from around the apple trees and repairing damaged structures. Also, the Government has given the go-ahead to burn some damaged items, with certain guidelines.

“But it’s only when

the buds start to appear or not appear that growers will have some idea of what the 2024 season may look like for them,”

Punter told Hort News

Punter says that even a good bud burst is no absolute guarantee that

all will be well. The science is still out on the actual long term health and productivity of a tree that’s undergone the stress and damage of Cyclone Gabrielle. He says questions remain about the yield of trees in 2024

and whether they will go downhill in production terms in coming seasons.

“The wait between bud burst and apples on the trees is the third phase of the equation.”

Some orchardists who have what they think are

viable trees, while other growers are going through the challenging process of seeing exactly what help is forth coming from the Government.

Hort News is aware that while growers were clearly told there would

be no more grants, some had hoped that in the end this may not be the case.

As a result, some are still unhappy with the Government offer.

It has put together a range of measures, which effectively offer under-

writing bank loans and promising concessionary interest rates to growers. The Government itself is offering loans to growers. But there are conditions: such options are only available to fully commercial operations and they must be able to repay any debt over time. In essence they must be bankable.

For some growers whose land and trees have disappeared and who were already heavily in debt before Cyclone Gabrielle, the chances of accessing government refinancing options are limited.

Punter says there has been some confusion about the details in the government recovery package and he is hoping that this will be clarified in the near future. He believes a key issue will be knowing the exact interest rates for each option.

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WITH WINTER chills hitting, getting at least two servings of fruit each day is a great way to improve your health and wellbeing.

That’s according to 5+ A Day trustee and principal scientist at Plant and Food Research, Dr Carolyn Lister.

She says that in addition to the recommended five servings of vegetables, winter fruit such as kiwifruit, lemons, Navel oranges and tamarillos provide important immunity support.

“Fresh is best when it comes to winter fruit. With the huge variety of fresh fruit available through the winter months, it’s easy to grab

a kiwifruit or a Navel orange for a healthy snack on the go, but why not try adding your favourites to a main meal?”

Lister says that buying the varieties that are in season now will not only provide consumers the biggest nutritional punch, but also the best value.

“The delicious fruit grown here in

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NZ are one of the best sources of the essential nutrients our bodies need. They’re packed full of vitamins, antioxidants, fibre and water that support repair and recovery, immunity, energy levels and mental wellbeing.”

Lister adds that incorporating fresh fruit into your evening meal is a great way to make sure the whole whānau

gets at least two servings of fruit every day for optimal health.

The 5+ A Day Charitable Trust website has a database with recipes and suggestions for in season fruit and vegetables at https://www.5aday. co.nz/.

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Leo Argent

Peter Burke peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

Hawke’s Bay may have to wait up to three months to find out to what degree their trees have survived from the ravages of Cyclone Gabrielle. PHOTO CREDIT RNZ

A sparkling success!

A SPECIAL project for a fourth-year student on Massey University’s food technology course has led to an amazing career opportunity.

Margie Hunt has been a successful dairy farmer in the Waikato. However, it was the food technology encounter at Massey that has led to her and two colleagues to developing Soochi – a new sparkling drink with special health properties, which was promoted at the Massey University site at Fieldays in June.

“It all started in 2019 when I was in my fourth year and we had to create a food project with the criteria that it had to be innovative,” Hunt told Hort News

“That meant we had a lot of leeway in terms

of what we could do. The product had to be something relevant – so we had to do a lot of market research and look at market trends. In the end,

I decided to focus on gut health product because this is a big issue.” She explains that the key ingredients are collagen and prebiotics mixed with fruit flavours and says it took a long time

and many experiments to get the balance of the ingredients to the point where it was commercially marketable. Prebiotic collagen helps the good bacteria in the gut to function as they should.

The presence of collagen promotes proper digestion and bowel movement. This helps prevent illnesses and conditions that develop due to poor digestive motility.

The end result is a

soda or sparkling drink in three flavours – Glow Berry, Lemon Ginger and Passion Peach – in 330ml cans. It is produced on contract and now sold widely around the country and online. They have

also produced an unflavoured powder and have plans to expand the business. Hunt says Soochi was founded on the basis of caring deeply about helping others and the environment. The idea was to create functional drinks and supplements that don’t compromise on taste and deliver functional benefits for skin, body and mind.

The success of the product has led to the formation of a company with two of Hunt’s friends linking up: Tina Chou is the chief executive and Naz Nicholson the creative director with Hunt assuming the role of food technologist. The success of Soochi led Hunt to give up the dairy farm and focus on her new business. Judging by the crowds around the Massey stand at Fieldays, the drink is quite a hit.

Peter Burke peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

The key ingredients are collagen and prebiotics mixed with fruit flavours and it took a long time and many experiments to get the balance of the ingredients to the point where it was commercially marketable.

Margie Hunt promoting her new Soochi drink at the Massey University site at Fieldays in June.

Smart tech reduces fungicide use

A DEMONSTRATION

onion farm in Pukekohe is combining modern disease forecasting tools with old school knowledge to show that onions can be grown effectively with fewer chemical sprays.

The farm has been set up as part of the A Lighter Touch programme to demonstrate that it is possible to take a more sustainable and environmentally friendly approach to crop production in New Zealand.

Agronomist Rob Cox helps oversee the onion crop on behalf of Onions New Zealand. He says the evidence from the most recent growing season suggests it is possible to grow a successful onion crop in New Zealand with fewer chemical sprays and without relying on Mancozeb – one fungicide in particular he has been looking at.

“Our findings so far show it can absolutely be done without Mancozeb, especially if you grow onion varieties that are less susceptible to disease.”

One of the keys to last season’s successful crop was the use of the homegrown weather and disease portal MetWatch, created by New Zealand agri-tech experts HortPlus. The portal combines weather data with disease

BETTER OUTCOMES

THE DEMONSTRATION onion farm Cox manages sits alongside other one hectare demonstration plots for pumpkin, barley, brassicas and lettuce, all seeking to demonstrate new techniques that may lead to increased productivity and positive environmental outcomes.

Innovations being trialled on other crops include native plantings and more diversity of companion flowers to encourage beneficial insects.

A Lighter Touch is a joint project launched by horticultural industry groups and the Government in 2015 to decrease reliance on agrochemical crop protection products that are being phased out. It is also in reaction to the public’s growing preference for environmentally conscious products that have been exposed to fewer agricultural chemicals.

models created by leading researchers to help growers understand high risk periods for different diseases.

Cox says the portal has been a valuable source of information on the demonstration farm to support key decisions about when to deploy sprays to combat downy mildew and other diseases that affect onions.

He uses the weather and disease model data from MetWatch daily email reports, along with his experience and local knowledge, to make calls on whether spraying is required.

“The daily report comes through and I

make a judgement myself as I live close to the site.

I look at the modelling, compare it with my initial judgement, and make a decision on what control measures to apply.”

Cox saw “very little” disease incidence within the crop in the most recent season, despite the season carrying moderate to high downy mildew risk. This suggests MetWatch’s modelling data and his disease control programme had been effective.

With the aid of MetWatch Cox has grown a successful crop of onions using Phosphorus acid and systemic products other than Mancozeb. He

is confident most onion varieties with a reasonable degree of tolerance to downy mildew can be grown with the same result.

Cox says it makes sense to move away from relying on Mancozeb and

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reduce the amount of fungicides being sprayed, regardless of whether they are banned in the future.

“If you use individual products too many times you run into resistance issues. Extending spray-

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“If you can make a

couple of applications at 10-day intervals, rather than making three applications at seven-day intervals, you’ve saved yourself an application through that period.”

Cox concedes that deciding not to spray can be a difficult decision for growers because of the risk of disease occurring. However, the disease models provided by MetWatch allow growers to make those calls with more certainty, based on scientifically proven disease models and historic risk trends.

“Using Metwatch there’s absolutely been a reduction in sprays on the demonstration farm. I would say we’ve saved three or four applications over the life of the crop –good for the environment and there are some small cost savings there too.”

MetWatch is available to logged-in onion and vegetable growers via the ‘Weather and Disease Portal’ on the Onions New Zealand and Vegetables New Zealand websites.

Similar online portals powered by MetWatch are also available to growers in a range of other sectors, from kiwifruit and summerfruit, to apples and arable crops, with different tools and cropspecific pest and disease models for each.

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Onions New Zealand agronomist Rob Cox believes it is possible to grow a successful onion crop in New Zealand using fewer chemical sprays.

Kiwifruit seeder makes orchard jobs easier

THE PERFORMANCE

of the Duncan Vineyard Seeder, a narrow disc drill designed to sow cover crops between rows in vineyards, led to kiwifruit growers enquiring about a lower, wider version that would work in their applications.

The Giltrap Ag/ Duncan Kiwifruit Seeder is a gravity-fed seed drill that is just 1480mm high and offered in working widths of 1650mm (11 rows) or 2100mm (14 rows).

Featuring the wellknown Duncan double disc setup, the units are said to be ideal for horticultural work. This is because they can sow

into a range of soil types and cut through small branches, prunings, shallow roots and other trash. The units are ideal for working under kiwi-

fruit canopies or environments with low hanging branches, while also offering an option for lifestyle farmers who want to sow small paddocks.

Designed to handle a full range of large and small seeds, from peas or sunflowers, down to lucerne and clover, the drills only need around

50hp to operate. While the double disc seeding system can be used with or without press wheels, or an optional set of front opening discs. Opening

discs are ideal for work in orchards with more trash and can be factory-fitted during manufacture or retrofitted at a later date.

Row spacing is 150mm on both versions, as are twin seed boxes. The 11-row model has two 130-litre boxes, while the 14-row model has two 150-litre boxes. One box can carry seed, the other fertiliser, or both boxes can be combined.

Duncan’s gravity seed distribution system is well proven, easy to calibrate and doesn’t require the tractor’s hydraulics to operate. As the seed is metered from individual outlets for each run, it is very accurate. Meanwhile, a stainless-steel agitator shaft prevents seed from getting compacted or

bridged in the bottom of the boxes.

Side guards help protect the gearbox and flap handles from getting hooked up on any branches. This helps to preserve any settings, with weather skirts protecting the outlet units in damp conditions.

A three-point linkage hitch systems offers close coupling, making for easy access and exit to the rows at the headland.

Like the company’s Vineyard Seeder, the unit can be ordered with electric drive and touchscreen electronic rate control. This offers the ability to vary planting rates electronically and adjust calibration settings on the move using the touchscreen.

Source: Nielsen CMI Rural Survey 2002

Mark Daniel markd@ruralnews.co.nz

The Giltrap Ag/ Duncan Kiwifruit Seeder units are said to be ideal for horticultural work.

WILL CALL OR VISIT WEBSITE ABOUT PRODUCTS & SERVICES THEY’VE READ ABOUT IN RURAL PUBLICATION

COMMERCIAL FARMERS ARE HIGH VALUE READERS AND BIG USERS OF RURAL PRINT

Spaders offer many

WHILE POWERED cultivation typically centres around rotary hoes or power harrows, each has its pros and cons.

The former is prone to creating a ‘smeared’ pan, while the latter format can struggle to maintain working depth as blades or tines wear.

Netherlands-based company Imants was founded in 1885 building basic farm machinery and ploughs. In 1960, the company was approached by a local horticulturist who had a concept for building a spading machine.

By the late 1970s and into the 1980s, spading machines accounted for around two thirds of the company’s turnover. Today it offers a vast range of models produced by its workforce of around 55 people.

With more than 60 years of experience designing and manufacturing spading machines, the company understands digging is much more

than just turning soil.

Spading mixes organic material with the living topsoil by working crop residues and green manure into the soil, so they can be converted into nutrients and a seedbed ready for planting.

Imants says it can offer a solution for any tillage requirement, be it deep or shallow, active or passive, intensive or extensive, mixing or non-mixing.

The rotating movement of the spade ensures optimal mixing and, because the spade blades take soil sections

BUILDING ON a 10-year plus track record, Aurea Imaging – a crop intelligence provider for the fruit growing industry – has launched the TMS TreeScout.

It is said to be the world’s first fully integrated, tractor-mounted sensor for precision orchard management.

Powered by AI and 3D computer vision, the technology helps growers with such tasks as tree scanning, blossom mapping and vigour scor-

of 25-30cm from the underlying soil layer, a pan is not created. This action also means that water nearer the surface can penetrate deeper soil strata and replenish the ground water.

The looser soil structure that remains after spading also ensures air can move through the profile and roots can also

ing of trees. The company claims this enables growers to increase fruit tree yields, boost revenues, lower input costs, reduce labour expenses and safeguard the environment.

In a challenging marketplace, orchard owners are having to adapt to lower prices, budget for higher costs, navigate labour issues and respond to pressures to reduce their environmental impact. The AI-powered, tractor mounted sensor (TMS) TreeScout is said to be the first precision farm-

travel deeper looking for nutrients.

During spading, the subsoil is mixed, but not completely turned over. This preserves most of the soil temperature, reducing the time it takes for the soil to warm up, resulting in faster germination, while the deeper soil layers are given time enough to

warm as the plants grow.

The range of spader sizes is quite comprehensive from 1.2m to 4.5m machines and from depths of 15cm to 135cm, with horsepower ratings up to 300hp.

The spaders can operate directly into pasture, sprayed out ground or previously cropped land. A broad product range

ing solution that offers complete control over data collection, analysis and execution, without the need of external services or third-party providers.

The technology works seamlessly with all major root pruners, sprayers and data platforms, enabling users to give each tree what it needs to thrive, while also saving on water, fertiliser and labour expenses.

Mounted on the grower’s tractor, the system utilises a high-definition 3D computer vision system and

sees machines designed for sandy/loam soils or dry/wet clay situations.

Attachments can be added to fine tune finishes, such as rear rollers, pre-rippers, fumigation units and airseeders.

More recently, Imants Spaders has been helping deal with the devastating effects created by Cyclone

edge computing processing capacity that integrates with existing RTKGPS equipment. The unit scans the trees in high definition while driving through the orchard during spraying, spreading or mowing. It then collects and uploads data to the cloud. Once data is analysed, farmers receive prescription maps with insights on individual trees, which enables them to provide every tree with tailored care.

“We are on a mission to unlock the potential of every fruit tree,” said

Gabrielle, that in many cases left large silt deposits on cropping land and orchards. The action of the machines has proven to be very successful in bringing more open structured soil upwards and mixing the silt deposits throughout the general profile.

www.matamataag. co.nz

Bert Rijk, chief executive and founder of Aurea Imaging.

He says TreeScout reinvents orchard management and ensures farmers finally have a precision orchard solution that gives them full control of their orchards to maximise profits.

“Fruit growers who use the system will ultimately work more efficiently, reduce costs and time, and increase yield and productivity.”

– Mark Daniel

Spading mixes organic material by working crop residues and green manure into the soil to prepare a seedbed ready for planting.

Future in good hands

The future of NZ’s $500 million plant production industry is in excellent hands if the talent shown by the competitors in this year’s Young Plant Producer of the Year is anything to go by.

Lydia O’Dowd, of Southern Woods nursery in Rolleston, was named the 2023 Young Plant Producer at an awards dinner in Christchurch, last month. She was one of the five finalists.

The Young Plant Producer event, formerly called Young Achiever, tests competitors on the skills needed to run a successful plant production. It is organised by NZ Plant Producers (NZPPI), hosted by IPPS (International Plant Propagators’ Society) and supported by

RUNNERS UP

THE YOUNG Plant Producer 2023 runners up were:

• Ellen Ballantine of vegetable breeding company, Enza Zaden in Puni, Auckland

• Cameron Hay of commercial plant nursery, Ardmore Nurseries in Cleveland.

• August Von Reiche of medicinal cannabis research and development company Helius Therapeutics in East Tāmaki, Auckland

• Jake Linklater of non-profit native nursery

Nova Natives in Templeton, Christchurch

the Horticentre Charitable Trust.

The five finalists undertook two days of challenges at Lincoln University, where they were tested on their skills in finance and dispatch, biosecurity, plant propagation and identifica-

tion, tool maintenance, agrichemical use and irrigation.

The judges looked for individuals who could make a difference in the industry, going beyond great skills to also include leadership, attitude and personality.

O’Dowd is head propagator at Southern Woods nursery and

is passionate about sustainability and finding alternatives to

agrichemicals – such as natural insecticides. She has Certificates in NZ

Horticulture in Nursery Production Level 3 & 4 and plans to complete a Diploma in Primary Industry Business Management in the future. Along with her trophy, O’Dowd won a 12-month programme of mentorship support plus a $4,000 fund to advance her career in plant production.

She will also take part in the Young Horticulturalist of the Year award in November where she will compete against finalists from the entire horticulture sector, vying for a prize pool worth more than $20,000.

“I look forward to gaining more knowledge and meeting others who are driven and passionate about hort,” she says.

Greenhouse builder sells minority stake

NEW ZEALAND and Australia’s largest commercial greenhouse construction company, Apex Greenhouses, has agreed to sell a minority stake to Dutch company GreenV B.V.

Apex Greenhouses’ Australian chief executive, Folco Faber says GreenV – an aggregator of greenhouse technology suppliers around the world – had taken the minority interest in line with its vision to provide world-leading complete greenhouses.

Faber says the decision to partner with GreenV will enable Apex Greenhouses to leverage the Dutch company’s access to automation and emissions-reducing technologies in a rapidly advancing Controlled Envi ronment Agriculture (CEA) industry.

“Projects are becoming larger and more complex,” Faber explains.

“Our typical client 10 years ago was a family operation. While they are still an important part of our customer base, we see larger corporate inter

investment worldwide from PE, super funds and listed companies. Hightech greenhouse projects are capitalintensive, so the monetary injection is needed if we are to feed the planet.” Apex Greenhouses constructs

the horticultural industry in Australia and New Zealand, including university R&D projects, botanic gardens and packing sheds. Its largest project to date has been a 130,000sqm greenhouse in Victoria.

Faber says the CEA industry is experiencing rapid growth around the world, with up to 30% growth per year anticipated in the Asia Pacific region by 2026.

He adds that much of this growth is predicated on adapting to climate change, the need for more certainty in growing conditions and the need to increase volumes to cater for a growing population.

“We can see many examples locally as to why things are naturally moving

growing – extreme weather patterns, scarce labour, higher input costs for water/energy/fertiliser are all causing customers to look for more efficient solutions,” he said.

Faber claims partnering with GreenV will allow the general manager of New Zealand operations James Harris and himself to retain full control of the day-to-day running of the business.

“This is also going to enable us to greatly improve our offerings to customers. We will have a key focus on bringing customers efficiencies in terms or energy usage, including more efficient and lower carbon footprint energy generation for food production and also automation as a way of

Young Plant Producer of the Year Lydia O’Dowd.

Apex Greenhouses retains a local manufacturing presence, as well as an administrative base from its South Auckland facility in Waiuku.