Horticultural Production in the Bay of Plenty

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 87, Issue 2, 15 August 1953, Page 151

Horticultural Production in the Bay of Plenty

FEW districts in New Zealand offer better possibilities for horticultural development than the Bay of Plenty, which, with its many natural advantages, is noted not only for its production of citrus and other sub-tropical fruits, but as a scenic and holiday resort. The mild climate with a generous and well-distributed rainfall favours the production of a wide range of horticultural crops as well as citrus and sub-tropical fruits, which are among the most important. The development and present production of these crops are reviewed and the , possibilities of their expansion discussed in this article by F. L. Bailey, Horticultural Instructor, Department of Agriculture, Tauranga.

T AND used for commercial horti■L- cultural crops in the Bay of Plenty is confined mainly to the coastal belt WaThan p2v SS of Onntfk? The h great Bay east produced - The great bulk ox me crops produced, however, are grown in Tauranga County round the town of Tauranga and near Te Puke and Katikati. Near Whakatarie vegetable crops and small quantities of fruit are grown, but overall horticultural production does not nearly , equal that of Tauranga County in the Western Bay of Plenty. Round the towns of Tauranga and Te Puke production of citrus and sub-tropical fruits is predominant, but near Katikati production of onions and other vegetables is more favoured. In pockets along the whole coastal area. of the Bay of Plenty and on the islands of Matakana and Motiti off the coast at Tauranga Maori growers produce large quantities of kumaras for

disposal through vegetable markets and also for their own use. , Development of Horticultural Industries Of the commercial horticultural industries the citrus industry was the first to be established. Citrus fruits have been grown for many years in the Bay of Plenty, but it was not until about 1910 that commercial planting began near Tauranga. About 1915 the. first commercial planting was made at Te Puke and an area was also planted in pip fruits. Extensive planting of citrus trees did not take place until after the First World War, when orchards were developed mainly in areas within a . ,5-mile radius of Tauranga. z Development and production of citrus fruits centred round Tauranga until after the Second World War,

when several commercial plantings were made at Te Puke, and a few K a d a lCbaldS Were developed near Tree tomatoes, Chinese gooseberries, passion fruit, and feijoas are the subbut"with OX passion fruit they were not extensively ?J OC ]a?o d The shortage o7 H imnorted fruits during the wa/caused P keen demand Tr g sub Seal fruits and many plantings b hav? been. made on small holdings round Tauranga axd other Darts of the Bav of Plenty during the oast 10 to 12 years . Commercial market gardening in the Bay of Plenty developed about, the same time as sub-tropical fruit growing, There was ample evidence of the area’s capabilities in this respect during the war, when large quantities of vegetables were grown near Whakafane and at Katikati and Tauranga for supply to the Armed Forces.

Climate ' Broadly, the climate of the coastal area of the Bay of Plenty may be described as sub-tropical. . Annual rainfall varies between 50 and bum. and is usually fairly evenly distributed, but in some summers dry spells . are not uncommon. There are not many severe frosts, but in some seasons they are of sufficient intensity to injure tender plants growing in lowlying or over-sheltered localities. As a rule prevailing winds are * seldom cold and only occasionally are there high winds. Average annual hours of sunshine are among the highest recorded in New Zealand and the coastal belt is almost entirely free from fogs. „ „ 4.1. . . Because of the long growing season and lack of intensity of winter frosts, some crops such as raspberries, currants, apricots, and cherries do not thrive as they do in the colder districts of New Zealand.

The climate favours rapid growth of plants and trees, but it is also equally favourable for weed growth and for the breeding of insect pests and diseases. Good cultural practices combined with adequate pest and disease control are therefore essential for the production of first-quality crops. Soils The soils producing the bulk of the horticultural crops are in general light pumice loams which tend to be Slightly heavier round the coast. They are light and open in texture, naturally deficient in phosphate and organic matter, but very free working, and the

porous subsoil provides excellent drainage. Soils in areas suitable for horticultural cropping never pug and even after prolonged heavy rain it is only a short time before they can be worked with implements. They warm up quickly in spring, , but because of their light, open texture, the heat is lost rapidly if changes of temperature occur within short intervals. For that reason they do not produce very early crops, except in isolated localities favourably situated. In spite of their light and open texture, the soils of the district appear to retain moisture reasonably well during dry periods at a depth effective for most horticultural crops, q Citrus Fruits At the beginning of 1952 the area devoted to the production of citrus fruits in the Bay of Plenty was estimated to be about 540 acres. In Table 1, the present areas of the various kinds of citrus fruits are shown with the estimated production for 1951. Production varies from season to season, but that for 1951 "was average and gives a fair indication of a normal year’s yield.

TABLE ESTIMATED PRODUCTION OF CITRUS FRUITS IN 1951 Variety Area Production (packed (acres) bushels) Standard lemons .. 260 62,100 Meyer lemons .. .. 30 3,150 New Zealand grapefruit 150 44,000 Wheeny grapefruit . . 45 550 Sweet oranges . . 40 2,600 Others .. .. .. 15 200 Totals .. .. 540 112,600

About half the area is planted in standard lemons. In the earlier years the industry was developed mainly round the standard lemon, and in plantings of commercial orchards the tendency has been to regard the

standard lemon block as the “bread and butter” of a holding. A modern citrus packing house operates in Tauranga to handle the packing of standard lemons produced in the Bay of Plenty, and distribution and marketing. of the fruit are under the direction of a national lemon-marketing committee. Under ..the present system of marketing a grower is not required to pack and market standard lemons, and he is thus able to concentrate. on production. Next to standard lemons in importance is New Zealand grapefruit. This fruit, and standard lemons form the bulk of an average citrus holding. Meyer lemons, sweet oranges, and other citrus varieties are grown to a less extent, but in most instances a few trees are found on nearly all citrus orchards, some holdings containing large numbers of Meyer lemons. Packing and marketing of citrus fruits other than standard lemons are the responsibility of the grower, who either sells his fruit at the auction marts or by private treaty. In Tauranga a fruit growers’ society has a co-operative packing shed and will pack and distribute both citrus and sub-tropical fruits, for which service members pay. The society meets the needs of the grower who cannot afford the time to pack or is unable to secure suitable labour. Sub-tropical Fruits Closely allied in the Bay of Plenty with the growing of citrus fruits, the production of sub-tropical fruits is a

newer industry, but it has made rapid progress. Only a few acres were under production some 10 to 12 years ago, but the area was estimated to total 210 acres at the beginning of 1952. Production, like that of citrus, varies according to the season. For 1951 the estimated areas and the production of the different sub-tropical fruits are shown in Table 2.

Many, of the trees and vines included in Table 2 are non-bearing and contribute little to the total production. Much of the sub-tropical fruit is produced by growers who are primarily citrus growers, but there are some holdings where sub-tropical fruits provide the main source of income. Expanding production, faults in packing and marketing methods, and alleged consumer ignorance led subtropical fruit growers, in 1947 to form an association to deal with the many problems associated with the culture and successful marketing of their product. Such organisations often are able to obtain concessions for their members that are not possible by individual efforts. Three associations (two in Tauranga and one in Te Puke) look after the welfare of both citrus and sub-tropical fruit growers. Vegetable Crops Though not as well known for its vegetable crops as for its. citrus and sub-tropical fruits, the Bay of Plenty nevertheless produces quite a substantial tonnage of vegetables for the Auckland and Waikato markets. Registered market gardens totalled 160 acres in 1951, and it is estimated that an additional 250 to 300 acres are used annually for early potato, onion, and kumara growing. Soil types are very suitable for the production of root crops and, because these crops transport well, they are grown by a number of gardeners in preference to leafy vegetables. Because very little asparagus is grown commercially near Auckland, some Bay of Plenty growers have established beds in recent years which have given satisfactory yields and proved payable. Perhaps the most noticeable development has been the increase in the number of glasshouses erected round Tauranga for growing tomato crops. Since 1947 the area under glass has increased from 20,000 sq. ft. to approximately 100,000 sq. ft. No artificial heating has been installed in any of the houses, the district’s high average hours of sunshine being relied on to provide the necessary heat. Earlier cropping could be induced by heating the houses, but that has not been favoured because of the high costs of installing equipment. Glasshouse tomato cropping is being carried on successfully by an increasing number of growers. It is not unusual for some crops to average 81b. of fruit a plant, but that is above the normal yield for the district. Flower Growing and Nursery Gardening Flower growing is carried out to a limited extent by a number of growers who in the main are engaged in other forms of commercial horticulture. A wide range of flowers can be grown, and the soil is particularly suited to the production of those plants which require light loams with free drainage. Bulb growing to produce cut flowers for market, is also a payable sideline. Soil conditions are also suitable for general nursery work such as the raising of ornamental shrubs, hedge plants, and fruit trees. It .would seem from present demands that this branch

of horticulture could be increased with a satisfactory margin of profit to the nurseryman. The production of flower and vegetable seedlings could also be increased to a limited extent, as supplies are often insufficient, to fulfil local demands. Present Land Values Up to about 1946 horticultural production was mainly centred round Tauranga, but during recent years commercial development has extended over a much wider area. Apart from the fact that Tauranga has attracted many retired people to settle there, the potential industrial development associated with the timber and pulp industries has caused a keen demand for property. Owing to the rapid expansion of the town the older-established horticultural localities are fast developing into residential areas, and the upsurge in land values and increases in rates are forcing established growers to subdivide their holdings for residential purposes. Current prices paid for small holdings near Tauranga are therefore a matter of what the sellers can get for their properties rather than actual values. It appears in such instances that prices paid in relation to the size of most properties are well beyond an economic level. With the exception of glasshouse units, properties of this kind may meet the requirements of purchasers who do not require a full-time occupation, but they can hardly be considered economic units, as they are established on land that has a residential value. Any land intended for future horticultural development on an economic scale should be far enough away from the towns to avoid high initial capital outlay and heavy rates. Suitable areas for horticultural production exist near Te Puke and in localities between Tauranga and Waihi, particularly on the many peninsulas extending into the upper reaches of the Tauranga Harbour.

Land available for sale in the areas mentioned is at a premium, but recent sales indicate that present values range from £l5O to £3OO an acre according to locality. The size of an economic holding depends on what it is intended to produce. For growing fruit and miscellaneous cash crops 8 to 10 acres would be sufficient, but for market gardening a larger area is desirable so that crop rotation may be practised. New Enterprise The possibilities of the Bay of Plenty’s ability to produce quantities of vegetables and fruits for quick freezing have been recognised recently. Early in 1952 a company was registered with headquarters in Tauranga to develop a local frozen foods industry, which should prove an asset to fruit and vegetable growers and the district generally. The 1952-53 growing season will be more of an experimental period for the organisation. Contracts were arranged for the growing of several acres of peas and beans in 1952, and small quantities of many kinds of fruit and other vegetables will be processed to test consumer reaction. Should the company expand along the lines expected, much greater quantities of certain kinds of fruit and vegetables than are produced at present will need to be grown to meet its requirements. Possibilities for Expansion With the rapid subdivision near Tauranga of established horticultural areas for building, the development of new holdings to produce a variety of crops is warranted. The area has proved that it is • well suited for the ' growing of citrus and sub-tropical fruits, and at present a limited scope exists for the planting of new orchards with certain varieties of those fruits. Of the citrus fruits, standard lemons, sweet oranges, and mandarins appear to offer the best prospects. New plantings of New Zealand grapefruit and Meyer lemons cannot be. advocated, as for some years production of these two varieties seems ample for New Zealand requirements.

Economic problems are being experienced by standard lemon growers, but are not insurmountable, as they are due more to assembling and marketing difficulties than ,to fruit production difficulties. Of the sub-tropical fruits, new plantings of tree tomatoes and passion fruit appear to offer reasonable prospects. Production of these fruits has declined during the last 2 years owing mainly to the eradication of orchard blocks on land sold for building. Tree tomatoes probably offer the more attractive proposition, as they are easier to grow and production costs are much lower than for passion fruit. However, they must be restricted to localities well protected from winds and it is important that the site be relatively frost free. Market gardening in conjunction with other forms of horticultural development also offers limited scope. The taking over of market-gardening land near Auckland for building has sent prospective growers further afield. The Bay of Plenty may provide greatly increased quantities of vegetables for the city markets in future, as it has been shown that the area can produce excellent-quality root crops, onions, and asparagus, and with the present road and rail transport facilities produce can be placed on the auction floors in first-class condition. The expected development of the port at Mt. Maunganui to provide facilities for coastal and export shipping. combined with the potential development of the timber and allied industries in the Bay of Plenty, must in turn increase the demand for locally grown fruit and vegetables. - The development of the quick-freeze enterprise should also add to the demand. With a favourable climate and a soil that is easy to work, the Bay of Plenty seems to offer an assured future to many types of horticultural crops. To the man who is physically fit, has some capital, and is prepared to work the production of such crops offers a healthy outdoor occupation besides providing a fair standard of living.

TABLE ESTIMATED AREAS AND PRODUCTION OF SUB-TROPICAL FRUITS IN 1951 Kind of fruit Area Production (acres) (tons) Tree tomatoes 112 350 Passion fruit . . .. 42 60 Chinese gooseberries . 44 60 Feijoas .12 18 Totals .. .. 210 488