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HortNZ chief executive Kate Scott.
More Māori land is being used for growing commercial fruit and vegetables, according to a new report commissioned by Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ).
The Snapshot of Māori in horticulture 2024 research found the gross output from Māori horticulture during 2024 was $305 million, up from $220.5 million in 2019.
While horticulture currently comprises just over one per cent - 5,715 hectares - of Māori farmland, this is growing steadily.
The amount of Māori land in horticulture has increased by 50.4% since 2017 and now represents about 7% of total fruit and vegetables land in New Zealand.
Kate Scott, chief executive of HortNZ, says this figure is notable, given that overall, there has been a decline in the amount of land in horticulture.
"One of the key priorities in the Aotearoa Horticulture Action Plan is increasing Māori-owned land in high value horticulture, so it is heartening to see the data trending in this direction.
"While horticulture currently comprises a small proportion of Māori land use, Māori involvement in horticulture is diverse and expanding, from Māori individuals and businesses to iwi and their commercial arms."
People affected by the recent two severe flood events in the Tasman district are weary and exhausted trying to deal with the devastation on their farms and orchards, according to the head of the Rural Support Trust (RST) in the region.
Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) and the Government will provide support to growers in the Nelson-Tasman region as they recover from a second round of severe flooding in two weeks.
HortNZ's CEO, Kate Scott says they are starting to see the substantial cumulative effects on their members of the two disastrous flood events in the Nelson Tasman region.
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