Issues and Trends
Strawberry growers believe the phase out period for the use of methyl bromide for ground fumigation is too short. Growers consider another 1-2 years is necessary to ensure alternative chemicals are fully validated for efficacy in trials and then registered for commercial use.
Berryfruit growers are concerned about the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act 1999. The Act means growers cannot use an agrichemical on a crop where it does not have a label claim for use in New Zealand. Clarification of the legal position is being sought in relation to current practice, where off label use is carried out.
Growers are also concerned about the impacts of the Employment Relations Bill, the increased presence of union power, and possible employer restrictions on using replacement workers to continue essential work. They are also very concerned about the possibility of 16 and 17-year-olds being paid adult work rates.
Blueberries New Zealand and HortResearch are negotiating an arrangement which allows blueberry growers and HortResearch to benefit from better management of the commercial release of part-industry funded new blueberry varieties. HortResearch own the intellectual property rights.
The impact of the varroa bee mite parasite is unknown and growers are adopting a wait-and-see attitude.
Boysenberry decline, a plant disorder which had been compared to Aids in boysenberries, has now been positively identified as a fungal disease, Cercosporella rubi. With the positive identification of this disease, boysenberry decline is now able to be controlled by well timed and targeted agrichemical application.
Food safety assurance to customers is being addressed by berryfruit growers. The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) approach has been used by the boysenberry industry. The expectation is that growers will complete their own section of this manual to achieve full compliance to satisfy customer requirements by 2001.
Grower driven industry restructuring resulted in the affairs of the former New Zealand Berryfruit Growers' Federation (BerryFed) now being managed by the New Zealand Vegetable and Potato Growers' Federation (VegFed). Four product groups previously managed by BerryFed are now independent groups:
- Strawberry Growers of New Zealand;
- Blueberries New Zealand;
- New Zealand Boysenberry Council; and
- Blackcurrants New Zealand.
There is no product group for raspberries, but South Island raspberry interests are represented by the two South Island co-operative companies established by South Island raspberry growers. Each product group is responsible for collecting its own levy for industry activities from 1ÿApril 2000.
The blackcurrant industry is currently suffering from inadequate fruit volumes to satisfy international market demand.
International competitor suppliers in Poland, the United Kingdom, Germany and Denmark have had lower than average crops over the last three years. Coupled with strong demand for blackcurrants to be used in new health products, the New Zealand industry is well positioned to optimise market returns in the medium term.
Table 3 indicates the relative size of the berryfruit industry in New Zealand.
Source: New Zealand Berryfruit Federation 1998
* Estimates only, for South Island area and grower numbers.
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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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