Vegetable growers must export

Press, 27 April 1984, Page 16

Vegetable growers must export

Any expansion in the vegetable growing industry would have to be aimed at the export market, Mr Richard Wood, a vegetable specialist for the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries at Pukekohe, said in Christchurch recently. With a static population in New Zealand there was no great opportunity for the industry to expand to cater for the local market, he told a seminar at the South Island Horticultural Trade Fair. The seminar on new technology, production and post harvest handling of vegetables was one of two sessions held in conjunction with the fair. The first dealt with intensive stone-fruit production. Mr Wood said there were about 1800 growers involved in the production of outdoor vegetables in New Zealand. Included in this figure are growers who derive at least half of their income from vegetable growing. About 1600 growers produce process vegetables, although some growers are involved in both fresh and process vegetable production. The area devoted to fresh vegetables is 13,000 ha and process crops cover 14,000 ha. Thirty per cent of the area in fresh vegetables

is in the Auckland-Pukekohe region, which in turn serves about a third of New Zealand’s population. Crops for the local market which cover the biggest area are potatoes, onions, brassicas, pumpkins, carrots and parsnips, but there are some 30 other types growing. Peas, beans and sweetcorn dominate the processing crops. Process vegetables were an important export crop and there had been a steady increase in the export of fresh vegetables, said Mr Wood. During the last 12 years, the export of onions had increased, and Japan had taken up to 50,000 tonnes a year. However the Japanese market was not unlimited and there was maybe a ceiling of 35 to 40,000 tonnes. Exports of buttercup squash had grown and this season 23,000 tonnes had been sent to Japan. The growing of buttercups had spread from the Auckland region to Hawkes Bay, Gisborne and Timaru but people were guessing as to how much the Japanese market could take. About 240 tonnes of fresh asparagus was exported last season out of a total production of 4000 tonnes. Export quantities had not kept

pace with the corresponding increase in production so processing would continue to be an important outlet for asparagus. Mr Wood said he believed garlic had a future as an export crop but not with the existing varieties or quality. New Zealand could become a successful exporter of perishable fruit and vegetables, said Mr John Lovegrove, marketing and development manager for the Shipping Corporation, who talked about the possibilities of transporting fruit and vegetables by sea. On a recent trip to the United States, Mr Lovegrove said he had been encouraged by the methods used to transport perishable goods long distances.

It was essential that all the relevant characteristics of the product being shipped such as the optimum maturity — were known so favourable conditions could be provided during shipment. Post-harvest and pre-ship-ment technology was an important aspect. When emphasising the need for top quality products to be submitted for export, Mr Lovegrove said a shipping service would not improve the quality of the product. However, it was expected that the quality of the goods would be maintained during shipping. Mr Bill Brandenburg, national greenhouse specialist with the M.A.F. at Christchurch, compared the

economics and uses of tunnel houses covered with plastic and greenhouses made of glass and other rigid material. The choice of structure often depended on what type of crop was grown. He urged growers to consider the options carefully: basic tunnel houses were a lot cheaper but rigid greenhouses were permanent. Dr Mike Mallone, of the Crop Research Division of the D.S.I.R. showed slides and talked about large-scale vegetable production in the United States, and Mr Geoff Mavromatis, of the M.A.F. at Christchurch, explained propagation and transplanting techniques for vegetables.