Issues and Trends
The blueberry industry may have difficulty in its ability to handle and profitably place the volume of fresh blueberries in the marketplace when there is a season without significant frost damage. In addition to the likelihood that growers may achieve a normal crop, there is an expected increase in fresh volume supply from existing new plantings. Also, blueberry propagators report increased plant propagation and confirmed sales for winter planting. Plant sales include replacement of existing planted areas with more preferred varieties, new plantings by established growers and new plantings by new growers.
The blueberry industry continues to improve quality standards, particularly evenness of berry size. Because of greater distance from markets, and consequently higher costs compared with competitor fresh suppliers, New Zealand growers aim to supply the best product.
The major issue of concern to strawberry growers is the rapidly reducing availability of methyl bromide, used in combination with another chemical for ground fumigation. Growers do not consider the alternative fumigants to be as effective as the current fumigation methods. Grower trial work showed that for ground treated with the newly registered alternative fumigant, Telone C35, in three sequential years, a 10% reduction in yield occurred in the third year after fumigation. Growers, commercial operators and researchers are working to improve application and management systems for the new product. However, significant concern remains in the industry about the efficacy of this product, particularly in years when ground and weather conditions at fumigation time may be less than ideal. Concern was reinforced by reports from the leading United States (US) strawberry breeder who, during a visit to New Zealand early in 2003, reported up to 18% reduction in yield after three sequential years of fumigation with Telone C35.
The strawberry nursery plant industry is proceeding with an application for a critical use exemption for methyl bromide to the Ministry for the Environment, in tandem with Australian strawberry plant producers. Industry participants are also considering an application for a critical use exemption for strawberry growers, recognising that strawberry growers in the US have already made application for exemption.
The impact of the SARS virus in Asian markets is unknown. Growers speculate that if the present reduced airline flights and reduced demand from the hospitality trade continue, fresh berryfruit revenues will be adversely affected in Asian markets next season.
Strawberry Growers New Zealand took over management and ownership of New Zealand Berryfruit Propagators from May 2003. This will allow for more effective management and utilisation of net revenue to the organisation for industry research and development.
The berryfruit industry continues to try to manage the conflict between achieving effective pest and disease control, while at the same time meeting the low or nil residue requirements of a number of market sectors. Growers are pragmatic, but are finding this challenge more difficult every year due to the lack of new chemical registrations for use in berryfruit crops. The low risk and exacting approach adopted by the New Zealand registration agency with respect to pesticide registration is seen by berryfruit industry participants as excessively bureaucratic and costly. The consequence is that New Zealand growers have limited ability to create advantages through innovation in this area.
The strawberry and boysenberry industries are actively working to evaluate the potential for existing products on pest and disease control on their respective crops. Biocontrol technologies are still not ready for commercial use in berryfruit crops. There is increased interest in integrated fruit production programmes and crop scouting programmes amongst boysenberry, blackcurrant and blueberry industry participants.
The boysenberry and blackcurrant industries do not agree with amendments to the New Zealand Horticulture Export Authority Act 1987 and have made submissions accordingly. Submissions relate to a proposed amendment on quantitative restrictions presently able to be imposed on the supply of product to markets. Current provisions allow industry-recognised product groups to restrict both the number of licensed exporters and the volume of product able to be exported to specific markets. The proposed removal of the restriction provisions is to allow New Zealand to meet its international obligations to GATT and CER.
With marketplace returns for frozen berryfruit not expected to increase, growers continue to seek variety improvements which will result in better yield and quality performance for their berryfruit varieties. The boysenberry industry is actively exploring opportunities to move from selling a frozen commodity product to selling a value-added product or range of products.
Some field plantings of the new raspberry variety, Tadmor, have shown an indication that the plant material is not true to type. While this issue will be rectified by replacement planting with true Tadmor plants, the impact in the interim is that the expected productivity gains from new raspberry areas, supposedly planted in Tadmor, will not be achieved.
The considerably higher than expected blackcurrant crop harvested in 2002/03 presents a challenge for the NZ Blackcurrant Co-operative. While the established large buyers will continue to buy at the present level, or in the case of the largest buyer, may increase the volume of crop purchased, the industry co-operative will need time to manage the rapidly increased supply in relation to demand.
The blackcurrant industry continues to support a joint venture breeding programme with HortResearch to develop new varieties with characteristics that better match processor requirements as well as grower requirements.
Table 3: Berryfruit Industry Statistics
Crop |
Area (ha) |
Grower Numbers | ||||
2000 |
2002 |
2003 |
2000 |
2002 |
2003 | |
Blackcurrants |
800 |
1 0001 |
1 325 |
44 |
48 |
491 |
Blueberries |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
55 |
802 | |
Boysenberries |
165 |
197 |
2103 |
N/A |
55 |
553 |
Raspberries |
220 |
220 |
225 |
70 |
70 |
654 |
Strawberries |
270 |
292 |
2465 |
130 |
130 |
1255 |
Sources:
1Blackcurrants New Zealand Ltd estimates
2Blueberries New Zealand (Inc)
3NZ Boysenberry Council estimates
4Raspberry grower estimates
5estimate based on plant sales figures, New Zealand Berryfruit Propagators Ltd
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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