An ambitious plan to double Whanganui-Manawatu's agri-business exports by 2025 was announced by the Government and the region's councils yesterday.
The seven district councils and over-arching Horizons Regional Council have committed to the Manawatu-Whanganui Regional Growth Study.
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce was in Levin yesterday, along with Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy to announce the study.
"Actually the regions have led the country's recovery from the global financial crisis," Mr Joyce said. He spoke of a huge emerging market in Asia that regional New Zealand could take advantage of.
"There's a massive opportunity out there. It's going to be like nothing the world has seen since the industrial revolution."
Mr Joyce said the only question was who would benefit from that growth and the study would work out how to make sure Whanganui-Manawatu got a slice of the pie.
"That's why we all have to make ourselves as attractive as we can for people to not just set up business but grow business in the region," Mr Joyce said. It would be the most in-depth study of the region ever done and would identify the economic drivers, possibilities and constraints to economic development, he said.
"It will detail for all stakeholders and government where the most significant economic opportunities lay," he said. The study was expected to be complete by early next year when the second phase would start. The eight councils and private-sector representatives would form a body to come up with and implement the Central New Zealand Agri-business Strategy.
Its aim would be to increase the regions agri-business exports from $1.9billion to $3.8billion by 2025.
Wanganui Mayor Annette Main and Rangitikei Mayor Andy Watson said they would ensure their districts gained from it.
Ms Main said she would make sure Wanganui received its share of the benefits and was confident the councils could work together. The Wanganui District Council was currently reviewing its economic strategy.
"For us this is really really timely because I know we can't do this on our own," she said.
Mr Watson was equally upbeat about what Rangitikei had to gain from the collaboration.
"I think Rangitikei will absolutely get its share. I'm sort of thinking they'll get the benefit of our growth," he said.
He said the study would sit alongside the work Rangitikei was doing to increase irrigation in the region.
The initial study would be government funded but as it was yet to be independently commissioned, the cost was unavailable.
Spearhead Manawatu spokesman Craig Nash, who leads an agribusiness working group from across the Manawatu-Whanganui region, said it had been working hard behind the scenes with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and the Ministry for Primary Industries to design the study.