Selling New Zealand’s fruit and vegetables to the world is behind a new campaign showcasing New Zealand horticulture.
New Zealand Story (NZ Story) and Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) have got together to produce a video called the New Zealand Horticulture Story to support New Zealand’s position as a leader in healthy food.
‘The world is more and more interested in what it eats and where it comes from,’ says Horticulture New Zealand Vice President, Bernadine Guilleux.
‘With that in mind, we decided to make a video to tell the story of fruit and vegetable growing in New Zealand, in line with the Horticulture New Zealand vision of "healthy food for all forever".
‘The video highlights how New Zealand growers care for the environment and see the land as a resource to be respected under the Māori principle of Kaitiakitanga.
‘Also highlighted is the fact that consumers can have confidence in fruit and vegetables grown in New Zealand, thanks to the horticulture industry’s passion for food safety and biosecurity.
‘What’s more, New Zealand growers are some of the most innovative in the world, as demonstrated in how they grow, harvest, package and transport their produce, domestically and to the rest of the world.
‘For example, Rockit apples have been developed with 65% more potassium, 19% more energy and 10% more fibre than the average apple.’
New Zealand growers export to 128 markets. In 2018, they generated more than $3.6 billion in exports. The total value of New Zealand’s horticulture industry was $5.87 billion in 2018. The industry comprises about 5000 growers and generates around 60,000 jobs.
The Ministry of Primary Industries ‘Situation and outlook for primary industries' (SOPI) report for December 2019 identifies continued growth of the primary sector, highlighting growth in horticulture.
Horticulture export revenue is forecast to rise 5.9 percent for the year ending June 2020 driven mainly by increases in kiwifruit, and apple and pear exports.
‘This continues horticulture’s export growth over the last decade’ says HortNZ Chief Executive, Mike Chapman.
‘New Zealand growers produce a high quality, fresh, premium product that consumers want to purchase. This is the key to the continued growth of the industry.
‘For horticulture to continue to prosper like this, it is vital that government policy supports our continued growth. For example, that the proposed freshwater reforms supporting new fruit growing because of its positive impact on freshwater quality and enabling vegetable growers to rotate their crops,’ says Mike.
In addition, HortNZ says the recently launched Primary Sector Council’s vision to align the food and fibre sector will also enable continued growth.
This vision is based on the concept of taiao - the ecosystem of land, water, air and life - which has been chosen to underpin the holistic nature of the food and fibre sector’s transformation.
‘Taiao embodies how horticulture in New Zealand operates. It speaks to the interconnected relationships of the whole environment and its people. If we can nurture the environment, land and people, our industry will continue to prosper’ says Mike.