Horticulture sector sets its election wishes

This is primarily directed at whoever forms the new government after the election, but centres on our vision ‘Healthy food for all forever’. 

Although horticulture is NZ’s fourth-largest primary export, not a lot is known about what we do or what we contribute to NZ’s economy and wellbeing, as businesses, employers and suppliers of healthy, fresh food. Hence this election manifesto.

We want the newly elected government to support our continued growth. In 2016, domestic and export sales of fruit and vegetables reached $5.6 billion. In the two years ending June 2016, horticultural exports grew 39.5%. These growth rates will continue provided we have government support.

Independent survey data reports at least 70% of NZers want to buy local and buy fresh fruit and vegetables. And 70% want to know where their fresh fruit and vegetables come from. That is why one of our election manifesto policies is for mandatory country-of-origin labelling of fresh fruit and vegetables.

This survey also reported that one in five NZers do not buy fresh fruit and vegetables each week. We need to increase healthy eating in this country to avoid obesity, diabetes and heart disease. So another one of our policies – from veges.co.nz – is to introduce into the year 7 and 8 school cooking curriculum the skills to prepare a healthy meal.

In a Massey University study funded by the Heart Foundation and veges.co.nz of 102 schools, it was found that preparing healthy food was only taught in 50% of the schools and only 13% of the students could plan and prepare a healthy meal. Our policy seeks to change that and have consistency throughout schools so that all students learn the essential skill of preparing a healthy meal.

It is important to horticulture that the government supports these policies. Therefore, a tax on water used to grow fresh fruit and vegetables – a policy proposed by the Labour Party – is counterproductive. A charge placed on that water will inevitably have to be passed on to consumers, increasing the cost of fruit and vegetables and subsequently, reducing access to healthy food.

A less healthy population will increase the cost of health care. We hope the government will not use taxes like this to reduce access to healthy food. 

Continued labour supply and increased protection from biosecurity incursions are two of our key policies. But most important is access to high quality land and water to feed NZ and grow our exports.

We are asking the newly elected government to recognise the need for a national policy recognising that building houses where vegetables grow best is not in the long-term interests of NZ.

We do not want to be forced to import our vegetables and lose access to locally grown, fresh fruit and vegetables. Horticulture is very land efficient – using about 120,000ha throughout NZ so that’s not a lot of land to protect.

In the coming weeks, and after the election, we will continue to work with the government to ensure horticulture can carry on growing and feeding NZers healthy food. 

• Mike Chapman is chief executive of Horticulture New Zealand.