Horticulture in year 2000

Press, 5 March 1982, Page 21

Horticulture in year 2000

Single family units would still play an important part in New Zealand’s horticultural industry in the next 20 years, according to Dr E. G. Bollard, former director of the Horticulture and Processing Division of the D.S.I.R. in Auckland.

Moves by commercial organisations into horticulture would mean the development of. ; some large production units says Dr Bollard, giving his views on the future of horticulture in a departmental publication reprinted by the New Zealand Fruit and Produce Journal. ■

Horticultural enterprises would be specialist operations with the smaller five to 10 hectare units • increasing their contribution to horticulture. says Dr Bollard. The smaller, single family unit would still be highly important.

The ability to produce quality products from the

land would remain the foundation of New Zealand's horticultural industry. Dr Bollard envisages airships playing a vital role in the future of horticulture. The cost of operating jet aeroplanes would become prohibitive for all but the most valuable produce. Cargo-airships, which could carry much more cargo than conventional aeroplanes. at a fraction of the cost, would lead to a major development in the export of fresh produce to Asian and Pacific countries. Mechanisation would be introduced at many levels into the horticultural industry, with packing and other handling being done mechanically and colour grading and size carried out electronically. Dr Bollard sees Taranaki, Waikato, Wanganui and Manawatu becoming prominent horticultural districts.

The production of certain fruit crops including apricots, sweet and sour cherries, prunes, red apples and nashi, would be expanded in Canterbury and Otago.

Northland would develop a unique role as a producer of a number of sub-tropical species, some particularly valuable, and some Asian root vegetables would be suited to conditions in the South. Fresh fruit would still be New Zealand's major horticultural export with pip fruit

and kiwifruit remaining the largest individual items. Kiwifruit would overtake pip fruit to become the single most valuable export crop. Hayward would still be the most widely planted variety of Kiwifruit, but new varieties accepted for export would assist'the industry by spreading the harvesting season. . Although Granny Smith would remain a popular apple, the development of the Asian market would result in major plantings of red varieties, both old and new. New selections of tamarillos and feijoas would become successful as dessert fruits on overseas markets and several subtropical species would become well established on smaller, more select, markets. Berryfruit and stonefruit would continue to expand in a less spectacular way and citrus fruit production would increase following the acceptance of citrus fruit, particularly New Zealand grapefruit and tangelos, on overseas markets. Onions would remain an important export and other vegetables such as asparagus and squash would increase. A wide range of other kinds of vegetables, including kumaras and globe artichokes and. other species of Asian origin, would be developed for export.