Well-placed to weather conflicts
Shipping disruption caused by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea has so far not impacted fertiliser prices or supply on farm.
It's unlikely any NZ-grown asparagus will be exported this season.
That's the word from the chair of the asparagus council, Sam Rainey, who says the spiraling cost of air freight has made this impossible.
Traditionally, NZ asparagus is exported to Japan, Singapore and some of the Pacific nations. However, Rainey told Rural News that huge freight rate rises - due to the Covid pandemic - mean it is no longer profitable to send the highly desirable vegetable overseas.
"The reality is that exporting was barely profitable before Covid and the fact that it is not now makes it really challenging for the industry, which has to rely entirely on the domestic market."
Rainey says the issue with asparagus is that its production season is short - October through to December - and it's not easy to spread the growth of the crop. In warm weather, asparagus grows quickly and needs to be harvested immediately, and there is a risk of a glut of it on the market. This is despite the fact that the industry has shrunk significantly over the years.
"As growers we all understand the market and the nature of the crop, so no one wants that oversupply," he explains.
"The supermarkets and growers want a nice, consistent fresh supply. Remember asparagus is highly perishable and you want to be eating it fresh. As an industry, we need to manage that."
With the industry now confined to the domestic market, the challenge is to get more people to eat asparagus, Rainey says the industry has invested heavily in promotional activities in an effort to increas asparagus consumption and he is confident that they can do this.
"But what blows me away is that so many young people don't eat asparagus and we need to manage that as an industry," he adds.
"It's about getting people to open their eyes to asparagus because it's nutritious, versatile and really good for you and you can add it to any dish."
The country’s 4200 commercial fruit and vegetable growers will vote from May 14 on a new HortNZ levy.
Meat processor Alliance Group is asking farmer shareholders to inject more capital in order to remain a 100% co-operative.
A vet is calling for all animals to be vaccinated against a new strain of leptospirosis (lepto) discovered on New Zealand dairy farms in recent years.
Dairy
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.
Telco infrastructure provider Chorus says that it believes all Kiwis – particularly those in the rural areas – need access to high-speed, reliable broadband.
OPINION: The new government has clearly signalled big cuts across the public service.
OPINION: Your canine crusader is not surprised by the recent news that New Zealand plant-based ‘fake meat’ business is in…