- Key Points
- Physical Factors
- Climate
- Production
- Table 1: Long-term Average and 1999/2000 Berryfruit Yields
Export Berryfruit
This section comments on a range of berryfruit crops grown throughout New Zealand. Growers are concentrated in the Auckland, Waikato, Horowhenua, Nelson, and Canterbury areas.
Key Points
- About 4% of strawberry growers are expected to exit the industry, resulting in a reduction in plant numbers in the ground for the 2000 season.
- Availability of airfreight space is a significant limiting factor to increasing volumes of fresh berryfruit exports.
- ·Blueberry and blackcurrant growers are enjoying steady returns and industry growth.
- The blueberry and blackcurrant sectors are founded on a co-ordinated industry approach to market development. Market strategies emphasise the health benefits of blueberries and blackcurrants
Physical Factors
Climate
Weather during the 1999/2000 season was characterised by satisfactory winter chilling, a wetter than usual spring, and a drier than usual summer.
Rainfall in November 1999 was 200 mm at Auckland Airport, which was the wettest for the last 10 years. The wet conditions had the effect of increasing disease levels in strawberry crops, requiring increased costs for disease control, harvesting, and grading.
The wet November also had significant impacts on raspberry and boysenberry crop yields throughout New Zealand, particularly in the Nelson region. Both Dryberry and Botrytis diseases were prevalent, with significant yield reductions where grower management resulted in inadequate fungicide protection against disease infection. Yields for both crops were down by 20% on average, against last season.
Wet October conditions adversely affected flowering for blackcurrants.
Winter chilling hours have been less than satisfactory for the last two growing seasons. Blackcurrants require 1,000 hours at <70C, to accumulate winter chilling. Satisfactory winter chilling results in even crop development and high productivity, and vice versa.
Production
Strawberry yields were slightly better than for 1998. This was attributable to better winter chilling in 1999, resulting in more prolific and even flowering. Growers are also achieving better yields through improved irrigation practices and pest control. Yields have been estimated to be up by 5% compared to 1998.
Strawberry production for the 2000 season is predicted to be reduced, because approximately 2 million less plants have been sold by strawberry runner growers, for planting in 2000.
Prior to the year 2000, annual strawberry plant sales had increased every year for the last five years, to a peak of around 21 million plants in 1999.
Blueberry production has been stable. Industry production is expected to gradually increase, based on new plantings being made and continuing to be made by existing growers.
The raspberry planted area has contracted in the Canterbury region, but continues to slowly expand in the Nelson region. Expansion is being undertaken by existing growers seeking to more fully utilise machine harvesting equipment.
New raspberry varieties are being planted to replace the industry standard variety, Skeena. Skeena suffers from declining yields because of the ongoing debilitating effects of Raspberry Bushy Dwarf Virus (RBDV).
The raspberry crop did not meet grower expectation, although there were significant yield variations between growers. Yields ranged between 3.0 and 6.0ÿtonnes/ha, with the latter considered satisfactory given the wet conditions during flowering. Most of the yield variation was attributed to the effectiveness of grower management in targeting disease control through, and subsequent to, the wet November.
The blackcurrant planted area increased by 180 ha in 1999. This is anticipated to increase by another 200 ha in winter 2000 and a further 180 ha in 2001. However, most of this new planting is anticipated to replace already aging plantings, for which productivity is declining. Blackcurrants take 3-4 years to reach optimum yields after planting.
The combined effect of inadequate winter chilling and wet October conditions resulted in lower yields, at 4-6ÿtonnes/ha.
Boysenberry growers do not believe there is room for expansion of production.
| © MAF 2000 |  |
|
| MAFnet Help | Important Disclaimer |
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
Contact this person
