Horticulture rumbles on

Hort exports are now $5.4 billion, but are expected to top the magical $6b mark in three years; kiwifruit, wine and apples and pears are the big growth contributors.

The report also notes developing new avocado orchards in Northland, the rise and rise of Gold kiwifruit especially in Bay of Plenty, new apple plantings in Hawkes Bay, more stonefruit plantings -- mainly cherries in Central Otago, and more growth in viticulture in Marlborough.

“Two million apple trees were planted in the last four years and we have a massive 700ha of kiwifruit to come on top of 500ha that have just gone in,” says acting deputy director-general of policy and trade, Jarred Mair.

The fantastic fringe

For Mair, a report highlight is the rapid rise of ‘other’ (fringe foods), now ahead of seafood as an export earner for NZ.

“The fringes are really, really interesting,” Mair told Rural News. 

“Innovative foods have gone up 200% in the last seven years. That is phenomenal... over $800 million a year in exports.” 

Three key markets exist for these products: Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong. 

Mair says this points to transformational change in the NZ food sector, enabled by the harmonisation of our food standards and food systems.

“All this is starting to highlight the transition the country is going through. We are seeing a reduction in dairy cow numbers, but despite the reduction there is still significant growth in the value of the dairy products we export. 

“We are seeing broad-based increase in profit and starting to see high value products growing in revenue share.  That is an outstanding story and we hope we can accelerate that over the coming years.”