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Damaged buildings on Wakefield Street, Wellington. Photo: @nkpnz on Twitter.
HortNZ’s offices in the capital are closed again today but will re-open tomorrow.
The chief executive of HortNZ, Mike Chapman says engineers have inspected their building which is at the northern end of Featherston St, Wellington, and says there is only superficial damage and it will be safe for staff to work in it.
The rest of Featherston St where Federated Farmers and Beef+Lamb NZ are located remains closed due to fears of glass falling on to the street from broken windows and the added fear of high winds in the capital.
Chapman says the reports they have had so far from growers in areas affected by the quake suggest there has been no damage to glass houses.
He says the biggest issue facing the sector is the damage to transport infrastructure. Chapman says the problem is getting produce across Cook Strait and the state of the roading network from Picton to Christchurch. He says the HortNZ board will be meeting soon to work out how best to meet this challenge.
In a matter of weeks, stone fruit from Central Otago will be ready and Chapman says they may have to consider shipping this from Dunedin or Timaru to the North Island as SH1 from Christchurch to Picton will almost certainly be closed.
Ironically he says, the coastal shipping option may be cheaper than the normal road transport system
Central Otago District Council (CODC) has voted against a plan to spread treated sewage sludge from Cromwell and Alexandra on farmland near Lauder, a decision Federated Farmers says reflects strong opposition from rural residents.
Federated Farmers has called on Central Otago District Council (CODC) to drop or vote down a plan to truck sludge from Alexandra and Cromwell to farmland near Lauder, warning it would compound an "outrageous" situation created by a separate council's decision weeks earlier.
Federated Farmers says new legislation replacing the Resource Management Act will cut red tape, unlock investment and help grow New Zealand's export-led economy, after the Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill passed their third reading in Parliament yesterday.
Leading figures from the major political parties will be questioned on their primary sector policies at the Rural Issues Debate at Mystery Creek Events Centre, Hamilton, on 30 September.
Will the good times last? That's one of the key issues to come out of the latest Federated Farmers confidence survey.
Waikato milk processor Tatua has again declared a record milk payout to farmer shareholders, leaving other processors in the dust.
A Labour-led Government won’t be bringing back the controversial freshwater rules of 2020.
National’s much-touted free trade deal with India featured in the Rural Issues Debate at Mystery Creek, Hamilton on Wednesday night.
New Zealand's 2026-27 freshwater fishing season has opened, with anglers encouraged to head to rivers and lakes over the coming days as conditions look favourable across much of the country.
Central Otago District Council (CODC) has voted against a plan to spread treated sewage sludge from Cromwell and Alexandra on farmland near Lauder, a decision Federated Farmers says reflects strong opposition from rural residents.
Pāmu has released its FY26 Integrated Annual Report, reporting a Net Operating Profit of $113 million, more than double the $49 million recorded in FY25.
