Maize grower scoops top arable farmer award

The accolades acknowledge Nitschke's management skills and dedication to producing top-quality maize grain yields.

Nitschke, who runs family-owned Arable Solutions, has been growing maize grain for around a decade and says the win was a proud moment for him and his team.

"Winning the overall title was a big surprise: it confirms we are on the right track and helps to validate many years of hard work," he says.

Each year Nitschke plants about 200ha of Pioneer brand maize with longer maturity hybrids being planted on fertile river silt and shorter maturity hybrids on heavier clay soils. This strategic approach allows him to maximise yield potential across different soil types.

Typically, crops planted on the river silt yield 15-17 tonnes per hectare while those on clay soils yield 13-15 tonnes per hectare. In 2023, Nitschke's trial plot of P0937 yieleded an outstanding 20.2 tonnes per hectare winning him the National title in the Pioneer Maize for Grain Yield Competition.

In addition to maize, he grows malt barley and wheat as part of his crop rotation.

Nitschke believes that maintaining optimum soil pH, matching planting population to the growing environment and using high quality seed are some of the keys to maximising crop yield.

"We also focus on seed bed preparation and planting to ensure we get fast and even seedling emerging which also helps to drive crop yields."

Nitschke says his achievement is a testament to the quality and potential of Rangitīkei’s agricultural sector and his success highlights some of the innovative practices driving the maize industry in New Zealand.

The awards judging panel said Nitschke's yields are "extremely high by industry standards" thanks to careful cultivar selection, effective management of soil fertility and optimised use of resources.

His business has invested in state-of-the-art grain-drying facilities and also offers a package of contracting services.

Nitschke's industry and community credentials include involvement in the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) Arable Research Group and the Growers Leading Change programme.

"He can be describes as an 'all-rounder' and a very worthy winner of the Arable Farmer of the Year Award," judges said.

The other maize grower finalists - Mark Shera of Parkfields Farm in Ashburton and Alan Henderson of Cranleigh Agri-business Trust in Te Awamutu - were also applauded for their contributions to the industry.