Boost for hort exports
The horticulture sector is a big winner from recent free trade deals sealed with the Gulf states, says Associate Agriculture Minister Nicola Grigg.
Expect short supply of vegetables in the coming months, says Horticulture New Zealand.
Rain, hail and colder than normal weather means vegetable farmers are struggling to harvest crop.
HortNZ chief executive Mike Chapman says growers are reporting that rain has been plentiful since March, there have been significant hail storms in the past few days in various parts of the country, and the climate has not been as warm as it normally would be at the start of spring.
"This is not only affecting the ability to harvest potatoes, cauliflower and leafy greens including lettuces, the hail has also damaged some crops which will affect the quality and the quantity of vegetables that will be available.
"Consumers need to understand that lower than normal supplies impact on availability and cost. Growers want people to know they are doing all they can to supply fresh spring vegetables, but the weather is something they cannot control.
"We find that when people get to the shops and see higher than expected prices for vegetables, they don’t necessarily understand why that is. Our growers use very sophisticated farming techniques to manage as many environmental factors as they can, but something like hail at the wrong time or rainfall of a metre more than previous years cannot always be mitigated."
HortNZ is asking the government to look at a food security policy to ensure New Zealanders continue to have an adequate and affordable supply of fresh, healthy fruit and vegetables. Issues that need to be considered in that policy include protecting valuable growing land that allows for year-round food production, such as Pukekohe, and access to water.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says the relationship between New Zealand and the US will remain strong and enduring irrespective of changing administrations.
More than 200 people turned out on Thursday, November 21 to see what progress has been made on one of NZ's biggest and most comprehensive agriculture research programmes on regenerative agriculture.
The a2 Milk Company (a2MC) says securing more China label registrations and developing its own nutritional manufacturing capability are high on its agenda.
Stellar speakers, top-notch trade sites, innovation, technology and connections are all on offer at the 2025 East Coast Farming Expo being once again hosted in Wairoa in February.
As a guest of the Italian Trade Association, Rural News Group Machinery Editor Mark Daniel took the opportunity to make an early November dash to Bologna to the 46th EIMA exhibition.
Livestock can be bred for lower methane emissions while also improving productivity at a rate greater than what the industry is currently achieving, research has shown.
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