The New Zealand kiwifruit industry has welcomed Government co-investment in a new five-year programme to help growers produce higher yields of premium fruit, with less water, fewer nutrients and reduced environmental impact.
New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc. (NZKGI) and Zespri will deliver Optimising Kiwifruit Land Use - More from Less, with the project co-funded through the Government’s Primary Sector Growth Fund, contributing NZD 19.14 million.
The kiwifruit industry and Zespri will contribute a further NZD 28.73 million combined cash and in-kind investment.
The programme will operate across all New Zealand kiwifruit-growing regions and varieties to increase value from existing orchards through on-orchard innovation, advanced decision-support tools, and applied science.
Optimising Kiwifruit Land Use - More from Less has three workstreams:
- More orchard productivity - research and implementation to improve fruit quality and budbreak, enhance vine management and production techniques, develop alternative pest and disease controls, and improve decision-support tools.
- More efficient use of resources - using irrigation modelling and decision-support tools to deliver exactly the water and nutrients each vine needs.
- Less environmental impact - exploring carbon sequestration/removals, including biochar and other tools that support the programme’s broader environmental outcomes.
NZKGI CEO Colin Bond said NZKGI was supportive of initiatives which help food and fibre producers lift productivity and returns, and maximise efficient use of scarce resources.
At the same time, Zespri CEO Jason Te Brake said the kiwifruit industry was pleased to work alongside the Government on Optimising Kiwifruit Land Use - More from Less.
“New Zealand sells high-quality, great-tasting Zespri Kiwifruit in more than 50 markets around the world each year, and we continue to see strong demand from customers and consumers for our fruit. We expect to more than double our exports over the next 10 years through releasing new cultivars, developing more orchards and importantly, maximising productivity on existing orchards and doing this in a way which is good for people, communities and the environment," said Te Brake.
“This programme will support growers to improve their orchard performance and production, while strengthening the value of our kiwifruit exports to meet the strong market demand for our premium products. Our industry has a strong history of being forward-looking, innovative and collaborative, and co-investment of this kind helps bring innovation to growers much faster than we could on our own."
Te Brake added that there was a really strong opportunity in New Zealand, with land capable of producing some of the best kiwifruit yields in the world.
However, he also mentioned that they were working within real constraints, as there is only so much suitable land in the right climates, with production sitting alongside increasing environmental expectations and climate variability.
Kiwifruit has a relatively low environmental impact, and we’re committed to always looking at ways we can do better.
He also saw the opportunity to get more from the orchard through more precise growing practices, better decision-making tools, and continued integration of new science to improve production, as well as by delivering new varieties that yield higher in a wider range of locations.
“Kiwifruit already delivers significant value back to New Zealand’s regions and rural communities each season, NZD 3.6b in direct grower returns last season, and this programme will build on that, supporting further value back to growers, shareholders and the wider economy.”
The programme will be overseen by an independently chaired Project Governance Group, with representation from MPI, NZKGI and Zespri.
