New Zealand group looks to expand local production of tropical fruit
Many of these imports make use of toxic pesticides in order to lower risk of pests entering the country, but are dangerous to human health.
Parua Bay farmer Hugh Rose believes bananas - and other tropical crops - grown organically in Northland could be developed into an alternative source of supply and produce lucrative rewards for regional landowners.
He and around 20 others experimenting with growing tropical fruit commercially have formed a group they are calling Tropical Fruit Growers of New Zealand (TFGNZ) and are trying to contact potential members or gardeners with bananas or other tropical crops from which the group can source stock to expand their activities.
He believes growing tropical fruit locally could be very profitable for New Zealand growers. He said that if he could get a hectare covered in bananas 3m apart his 3333 plants could within two years each produce at least 10kg of fruit which, selling at $2 a kilogram, would return $66,660 a hectare.
Hugh has calculated that with 22,000 pineapples growing per hectare, within five years each plant would produce three fruits, potentially saleable for $2 each - a return of $132,000 a hectare.
For more information:
Hugh Rose
Tel: +64 027 439 1572
[email protected]
source: nzherald.co.nz
