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Kiwifruit sorting - Source: ONE News
Horticulture exports have nearly doubled in value over the last 10 years, according to a new study from the Crown Research Institute, Plant and Food Research.
New figures show fruit, vegetables, wine and flowers were worth more than $6 billion in exports and domestic spend in the year to June 30, 2009, up around $470 million on 2008.
Fresh Facts in New Zealand Horticulture found export returns for the year to June 2009 topped $3.4b (free-on-board value), up from $2.9b in 2008.
Plant and Food Research chief operating officer, Dr Bruce Campbell, says the increase signals a positive future for the industry.
"The industry set itself a target of getting to $10b by 2020 so this sets us well on the track to that," he says.
Two crops in particular stand out over the past 10 years.
Kiwifruit exports have increased from less than half a billion ($478m) in 1999, to $1.07b.
And wine exports have increased from $126m in 1999 to close to $1b ($985m).
The past year alone has seen kiwifruit and wine exports increased by 23.1% and 24.0% respectively.
Fresh fruit remains New Zealand's largest horticultural export sector, with revenues of $1.58b (up 18.2% on 2008), mostly from kiwifruit ($1.07b) and apples ($396m).
Processed vegetables increased by $19.3m (6.1%) overall in 2009, with frozen potato exports up $17.3m (27.2%) and dried vegetables up $16.0m (37.5%), offsetting decreases in other processed vegetables.
Campbell says the gains seen over recent years are due to the skills and dedication of many people, and the systems and technological improvements in almost every facet of New Zealand's horticulture industry.
"These are biological systems so there's always challenges. There's production problems ... pest and disease problems ... that's where the sector really is making strong headway because there's been investment.
"New varieties of fruit, vegetables and flowers, as well as improvements in sustainable production systems, harvesting methods, handling, packaging, storage and transport technologies, and export marketing have all added value to the industry."
He also calls for future investment, in the belief there is room for future growth if exporters choose the right path.
"There's a big opportunity around new varieties ... The positioning for New Zealand really has to be about getting a premium price product off shore, and that's critical in those export markets to grow the economy," he says.
New Zealand Horticulture - Key Figures
(All figures are for the year ended 30 June 2009)
$6.0b in combined total value of exports and domestic spend
$3.4b in exports (fob)
$1.7b from fresh and processed fruit exports, excluding wine
$563m from fresh and processed vegetable exports
$457m increase in horticultural exports from 2008 to 2009
Exports reach 122 countries world-wide
Exports to 52 countries exceeded $1m in 2009; 26 exceeded $10m.
Total crop area 121,985 hectares
On-farm investment approaching $16b
Off-farm investment estimated to exceed $29b
New Zealand spending
New Zealanders spend over $2.2 billion each year on fruit, vegetables and wine.
$510m of fresh and chilled fruit
$120m on processed fruit
$730m on fresh and chilled vegetables
$190m on processed vegetables
$670m on wine
