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Assistant Agriculture Minister Nicola Grigg.
Onion exports to the lucrative Indonesian market are resuming after officials negotiated an end to costly pre-export methyl bromide fumigation.
In December 2023, Indonesian officials started to strictly enforce a regulation requiring mandatory preexport methyl bromide fumigation, effectively stopping exports. In 2023, onion exports to Indonesia were valued at $45 million.
Assistant Agriculture Minister Nicola Grigg told the recent Hort NZ Conference the regulation cost the industry about $5 million a week at one point.
Grigg acknowledged the “work of our world-class Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) officials”.
“MPI and MFAT worked hard to resolve this matter and, last month, New Zealand and Indonesia agreed for onion exports to occur without fumigation.
“Onions New Zealand predicts that ten to twelve thousand tonnes of this season’s onions will be exported to Indonesia under the new conditions in 2024, worth around $5 million.”
Grigg says while working on new markets, the Government has a big workstream on now to dismantle non-tariff barriers (NTBs) with existing trading partners wherever possible.
“That is why our trade ministers, myself included, are on planes and offshore putting New Zealand back on the global stage and negotiating, and re-negotiating existing settings,” she says.
Grigg challenged the hort sector to take advantage of the comprehensive suite of trade deals New Zealand has secured across the globe.
She notes that there are significant growth opportunities in emerging regions such as South East Asia. Horticultural exports to South East Asia made up roughly 10% of total hort exports last year.
Grigg emphasised the need for building relationships in export markets.
She noted that horticulture export revenue is expected to reach a record $7.1 billion in the year to 30 June 2024 and is rapidly heading towards $8 billion.
“This is an impressive result, especially considering the monumental curveballs that have been thrown your way in recent years.
“The Government is committed to backing your sector’s success, and we stand ready to do our part to enable horticulture to grow – but a lot of that success will come down to the leadership and the actions you choose to take to implement your vision.”
The recent East Coast Farming Expo, held over two days at Wairoa, offered an insight into the current state of agriculture on the east of the North Island, at a time when the locals are remembering the second anniversary of Cyclone Gabrielle.
OPINION: At last, a serious effort to better connect farmers and scientists.
Horticulture New Zealand has welcomed the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s decision to advance plans for a new water storage facility on the Heretaunga Plains.
An initiative by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to connect farmers with scientists is taking off judging by the response at recent regional field days.
Scientists from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) are part of an international team working to develop a low-cost diagnostic tool that could significantly improve food crop production in developing countries.
Farmer-owned co-operative Ravensdown is winding down the operations of its agritech subsidiary C-Dax following a long decline in sales.
The recent East Coast Farming Expo, held over two days at Wairoa, offered an insight into the current state of agriculture on the east of the North Island, at a time when the locals are remembering the second anniversary of Cyclone Gabrielle.
A Research programme supported by Beef+Lamb NZ is investigating the potential of ‘accelerometer’ sensors for early detection of conditions such as facial eczema (FE) in sheep.
In the past year, the Farmer Time for Schools programme which seeks to connect New Zealand school students with farmers, has experienced further growth.
Fresh Carriers Co. Ltd (FCC) and Zespri have completed the first ever kiwifruit charter powered by a low-emissions fuel.
New Zealand lingerie brand Rose & Thorne is expanding its virtual bra fitting service in an effort to provide rural women in with better access to specialised advice.
OPINION: At last, a serious effort to better connect farmers and scientists.
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