Hort exporters eye Indian market
Exporters need to understand that India should not be seen as just one country to export to, rather a country of many unique states and regions.
The recent wet weather in the Pukekohe area has added to pressures to get early onion export shipments away on time.
"We have a finite window for Europe which makes up 40% of exports so that's quite important," James Kuperus, chief executive of Onions New Zealand, told Hort News.
The first shipment was able to be sent in the first week of February with the focus now shifting to supplying the Spanish market.
"It will be tight but not impossible."
While Hawke's Bay has had a difficult season, crops grown in the Manawatu and Canterbury were looking good for the peak of the export season which runs until May, counter to European production.
"It's all about managing the quality and expectations of what will be coming out of Pukekohe."
It was too early to tell what the total damage to crops in the area was. Some of the flooding had been superficial but had added to quality concerns in what had already been a very wet season.
Kuperus says growers were aware of which of their onion blocks might be of lesser quality so woud be working with exporters to send class two products to other export markets, which didn't pay a premium for top quality, or for local processing.
The final returns for the season wouldn't be known until September. In recent years, onion exports have sat around a value of $150 million annually with the crop, grown on over 2,000 hectares, mainly exported to Europe and Indonesia.
Managing director of Woolover Ltd, David Brown, has put a lot of effort into verifying what seems intuitive, that keeping newborn stock's core temperature stable pays dividends by helping them realise their full genetic potential.
Within the next 10 years, New Zealand agriculture will need to manage its largest-ever intergenerational transfer of wealth, conservatively valued at $150 billion in farming assets.
Boutique Waikato cheese producer Meyer Cheese is investing in a new $3.5 million facility, designed to boost capacity and enhance the company's sustainability credentials.
OPINION: The Government's decision to rule out changes to Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) that would cost every farmer thousands of dollars annually, is sensible.
Compensation assistance for farmers impacted by Mycoplama bovis is being wound up.
Selecting the reverse gear quicker than a lovestruck boyfriend who has met the in-laws for the first time, the Coalition Government has confirmed that the proposal to amend Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) charged against farm utes has been canned.
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