Lower North Island Process and Fresh Vegetables
The main vegetable crops grown in the Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu and Rangitikei regions are process tomatoes, process sweetcorn, fresh export squash, asparagus, onions, process peas, potatoes and process carrots.
Key Points
- The Manawatu and Rangitikei areas have been through the driest summer on record.
- Anticipated increases in asparagus production of 8,500 tonnes by 2005 have been revised downwards by 33% to 6,000 tonnes.
- There is a shortage of labour for harvesting many crops and competition for labour is increasing costs.
- Growers are finding that use of minimum and strip tillage is not only more profitable but better for the soils.
- Availability of air freight space to Japan and other Asian markets has caused difficulties and cost increases for fresh vegetable exporters because of the significant reduction in flights to these areas.
Contact for Enquiries
Farm Monitoring Programme Manager
Monitoring and Evaluation
MAF Policy
PO Box 2526
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND
Phone: +64 4 894 0623
Fax: +64 4 894 0741
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