In Tairāwhiti, the summer crop landscape is predominantly defined by maize and sweetcorn, as indicated by a comprehensive survey conducted by the Gisborne District Council's environmental science team. The survey spanned 24,376 hectares, focusing exclusively on summer crops and deliberately excluding pasture, not-visible, and tilled land.
Of the total area surveyed, maize and sweetcorn collectively represented 44 percent, encompassing 5,248ha. Grapes, occupying 1545ha, emerged as the second most prevalent crop, accounting for 13 percent of the area surveyed. Citrus fruits followed closely, covering 1,475ha or 12.3 percent of the total. Kiwifruit, with a 822ha footprint, was identified as the fourth most significant crop, contributing to nearly 7 percent of the summer crop area.
The survey also underscored regional variations in crop dominance, with maize and sweetcorn leading in the Poverty Bay Flats, Te Karaka/Whatatutu, and the East Coast/Ūawa/Tokomaru Bay.
Source: gisborneherald.co.nz