HortNZ welcomes three new directors
Three new directors are joining Horticulture New Zealand’s board from this month.
HortNZ chief executive Mike Chapman says his organisation wrote to the Prime Minister when the lockdown was first announced asking for independent retailers to be allowed to open during Alert Level 3.
He says in Auckland independent retailers account for 60% of sales to the public and also sell culturally significant fresh fruit and vegetables to their communities, which aren’t readily available in supermarkets.
In the letter, HortNZ tells the PM that in Auckland a large number of households in the poorer outer suburbs have lost the ability to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables from their local retailers at affordable prices. They also warned the PM about the financial effect on growers.
As Rural News went to press on late last week, Chapman says they have not received a response from Ardern – only notice that the matter had been handed on to Minister Phil Twyford for his consideration.
“They need to get their act together because the longer the delay, the more food that is wasted and that is absolutely absurd.”
Chapman says it’s clear the MoH don’t understand the supply chain. He says the border is based on the Auckland super city boundaries, but a more sensible approach would have been to consider the actual commercial growing production areas.Chapman told Rural News that the MoH never asked for any advice and they seem to be controlling it in their own way.
Fonterra has unveiled the first refrigerated electric truck to deliver dairy products across Auckland.
Research and healthcare initiatives, leadership and dedication to the sector have been recognised in the 2025 Horticulture Industry Awards.
Virtual fencing and pasture management company Halter says its NZ operations has delivered a profit of $2.8 million after exclusion of notional items.
Manuka honey trader Comvita slumped to a $104 million net loss last financial year, reflecting prolonged market disruption, oversupply and pricing volatility.
The Government has struck a deal with New Zealand's poultry industry, agreeing how they will jointly prepare for and respond to exotic poultry diseases, including any possible outbreak of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI).
The conversion of productive farmland into trees has pretty much annihilated the wool industry.