HORTNEWS SEPTEMBER 2019, ISSUE 6
sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
FARMER GROUPS are backing Government proposals to prevent productive land from falling to housing development. Horticultural land is especially in view. The Government’s draft National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land (NPS-HPL) proposes a nationwide approach to protecting highly productive land for future generations. About 14% of NZ land is classified ‘highly productive’. A two month consultation is under-
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No more houses! Sudesh Kissun
High tech research for horticulture – Page 11
way. Stats NZ says urban expansion threatens all forms of land based primary production. But horticulture is especially at risk. The scale and value of horticulture hubs, on typically flat, well serviced land at urban fringes, makes that sector more vulnerable to urban expansion than other types of farming. From 2002 to 2016, NZ’s land area used for vegetable growing decreased 29% from 100,000ha to 70,000ha. HortNZ’s natural resources and environment manager, Michelle Sands, says the Government’s proposal is to help retain vegetable and fruit grow-
ing in NZ. “NZ needs its best soils for domestic food production,” said Sands. “Once you build houses on the best soils you cannot get the soils back. “With good planning and buffer zones, houses and horticulture can co-exist, which is important for three main reasons: one, so growers can make best use of available land; two, so growers can quickly get fresh produce to market; and three, so growers have access to workers, given how labour intensive horticulture is.” Sands says keeping the best soils for producing food also helps the transition to a low emissions economy.
HortNZ says poor rules in Auckland are preventing new vegetable gardens being set up to replace land lost to housing. Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor says NZ’s most fertile and versatile land will get new protection. “Our land is a precious taonga – an irreplaceable treasure and a source of life and wellness,” said O’Connor. “We cannot afford to lose our most highly productive land. “It brings economic benefits including employment for nearby communities, and adds value to NZ’s primary sector.”
In fields of Kalette Ohakune commercial grower Bruce Rollinson is pictured in a field of kalette, a new vegetable that could soon be as popular in New Zealand as it is overseas. Similar to kale, it grows in buttons like Brussel sprouts but is deep purple in colour. Kalette is picked when the leaves or buttons are about 75mm long. Rollinson says they can be used in stir-frys or baked and turned into chips. “They don’t need a lot of cooking because they are a leaf and while they are like a Brussel sprout they don’t have any Brussel sprout flavour. They are more in tune with that kale flavour and are a very marketable product.” Rollinson is trialling the crop with a plant breeder and they are encouraging supermarkets to stock it. Meanwhile the home meal marketer My Food Bag is the main buyer. • See more about Rollinson’s commercial vegetable growing business on page 10
MPI MOVES ON HORT Peter Burke peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
THE RISE and rise of horticulture is prompting MPI to reconfigure its operations. Chief executive Ray Smith says with the sector planning to grow from a $6 billion to a $10b industry there are things MPI needs to do. The first is biosecurity, he says. “Nearly one million containers enter New Zealand, parcels come into the mail centre and there are the tourists.... We must ensure we’re doing all we can to stop pests and diseases getting in. And if they do get in we must act quickly and with industry.” Smith told Rural News he’s been impressed with MPI’s work with industry to contain the recent fruit fly problem -- an example of working together. Now we need to strengthen those bonds. “And there are other issues for an industry that is growing, such as labour supply and skills,” he said. “I think of young NZers who haven’t grown up – as many of us have – with a real connection to the agricultural or horticultural sector, so we have to teach them about that. “We are looking at how to get into secondary schools to get people excited about our primary industries and their job opportunities.” Training and labour supply are not the only things, Smith says. There’s also robotics. He has talked to people part way through designing robotic machines that could help alleviate some labour shortages.
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