Market-led aim of horticulture body

Press, 4 December 1987, Page 24

Market-led aim of horticulture body

The newly-established Horticulture Export Authority will follow a marketled policy and will not be production driven, according to its general manager, Mr Brian Milne. "We will be working to ensure that the horticultural products exported from here are what the market wants, not just what we think they want,” he said. The market-led policy was the best way to achieve the objectives of producers as it should lead to consistently profitable sales. Unlike other organisations in the primary sector, the authority did not have compulsory powers over activities or products unless wanted by that particular sector group, said Mr Milne. However, the benefits of participating under the new act were likely to attract a number of product groups, he said. The summerfruit group (including peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums and cherries) has already come under the wings of the authority which is reviewing the sector’s exportmarketing strategy in

conjunction with the Summerfruit Council. Interest had been expressed by the squash and citrus sectors and, in the longer term, the berryfruit industry, Rapid changes in the

marketplace made it imperative for New Zealand exporters to accept new ideas and challenge existing customs. “Our horticultural industry will not survive on commodity trading — it has to be innovative and able to deliver to time, specification, quality and

price,” said Mr Milne. “We plan to be a business organisation, not a bureaucracy. We won’t hide behind legislation or red tape and we intend to be fully up-front with growers and exporters,”

The authority has been formed to promote the effective export marketing of horticultural products (except pipfruit and kiwifruit), according to its Act of Parliament. Its functions will include developing marketing strategies for products which want them; encouraging and undertaking market analysis and research; liasing with the industry and the Government on matters such as trade barriers; and administering export licensing of horticultural products where appropriate.

The Horticulture Market Research Unit has been transferred to the authority from the Export Import Corporation. The funding of the authority, including the research unit, will come from Parliament in the short term. Once the authority is operating properly, funding is expected to come from industry levies and fees.