Blueberries Could Be NZ's Next $150m Horticultural Export
Blueberries have the potential to become a major horticultural export, earning up to $150 million within the next three to five years.
In the year to June 2014, produce from New Zealand's horticultural industries was calculated to reach $7.16 billion, with exports of close to $4 billion. Wine is the largest horticultural export, valued at $1.3 billion, with kiwifruit the largest fresh fruit export, valued at $930 million. Apple exports exceeded $500 million for the first time, with more than 20% (by weight) being New Zealand-bred cultivars such as Jazz and Envy brand.
In addition to the success of New Zealand's crops, record numbers are now being trained in horticultural fields - with the Primary Industries Training Organisation reporting a 58% increase in trainees to 7,449 in 2014 - and investment in horticulture, both on and off-farm, calculated to be in excess of $36.5 billion.
"New Zealand's horticultural land is highly productive, with the value of horticultural exports equating to more than three times the comparative return achieved by dairy merchandise exports," says Peter Silcock, chief executive of Horticulture New Zealand. "The horticulture industry focuses on efficiency and providing products for high value markets, such as Asia. We are confident that the success of the industry will continue and that we will reach our target of $10 billion of production by 2020."
Peter Landon-Lane, chief executive of Plant & Food Research, says New Zealand's success continues to be the result of hard work and a keen understanding of our markets.
"Science and innovation are employed throughout the value chain, allowing our sectors to deliver produce that commands a premium, meets increasingly stringent phytosanitary and sustainability requirements, and offers safe, convenient, high quality food for discerning consumers."
