New mural celebrates Hastings' rural past
The old Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Co-op Association garage in Hastings has become home to a new mural celebrating the activities that happened in the building.
A company credited for revolutionising the apple industry by creating a market for fruit that used to be "mopped up as rubbish" has turned 50.
Johnny Appleseed's managing director, John Paynter says ENZAFOODS innovation has meant growers can prosper because they've created a growing market for second grade fruit that can't be exported.
"ENZAFOODS is a world leader in the international juicing market and should be congratulated on 50 successful years in business. It has revolutionised the apple industry by creating a market for fruit that used to be mopped up as rubbish," he says.
ENZAFOODS, New Zealand's largest apple processing company, has marked its 50th birthday by opening a $4 million processing line in Hastings.
The new $4 million line at, purpose built to produce premium fruit products, and will create up to 30 new jobs bringing the workforce to over 150 during the season.
ENZAFOODS is now injecting an estimated $40 million into the economies of Hawke's Bay and Nelson and providing more profitable contracts to growers for second grade fruit.
General manager Jon Marks says by pureeing and dicing apples, the company has created huge demand for premium fruit products under the FreshFields brand and is delivering profits back to growers.
"We've enjoyed tremendous growth, development and innovation, strengthening New Zealand's international reputation as a premium processor of both fruit and vegetables."
This year Enzafoods will process 110,000 tonnes of apples, pears, carrots, berries, kiwifruit and feijoas into juices, juice concentrates, purees and diced and sliced products, supplied into industrial, food service, hospitality and retail markets in New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia and the USA.
Farmer confidence has taken a slight dip according to the final Rabobank rural confidence survey for the year.
Former Agriculture Minister and Otaki farmer Nathan Guy has been appointed New Zealand’s Special Agricultural Trade Envoy (SATE).
Alliance Group has commissioned a new heat pump system at its Mataura processing plant in Southland.
Fonterra has slashed another 50c off its milk price forecast as global milk flows shows no sign of easing.
Meat processors are hopeful that the additional 15% tariff on lamb exports to the US will also come off.
Fears of a serious early drought in Hawke’s Bay have been allayed – for the moment at least.

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