Growers register land on soil-monitoring database

3000 kiwifruit orchards will be registered on the Bay of Plenty Regional Council's Hazardous Activities and Industries List database.

About 3000 kiwifruit orchards in the region will be registered on the Bay of Plenty Regional Council's Hazardous Activities and Industries List (HAIL) database.

HAIL was created by the Ministry for the Environment and included 53 activities and industries that could potentially cause soil contamination.

Project implementation officer Reece Irving said registration did not mean land was contaminated.

"The implication for kiwifruit orchard owners is that if there is a future change in land use, such as converting the orchard into a residential subdivision, the site will have to be investigated and soil samples may need to be tested," he said.

"At the time of a change in use the landowner will have to prove the site soils are suitable for the proposed new use, and will not cause any adverse effects on human health or the environment. As long as the orchard remains in production landowners are not required to undertake any site investigation or soil testing. This only needs to be done if the use changes."

Avocado orchards and commercial glasshouses would also have to be registered.

Mr Irving said because so many orchards had begun to sell up their land for subdivision following the Psa outbreak, elevated amounts of spray residues were being discovered as land was converted.

"We have started to identify orchards which were more likely to be subdivided either now or in the future, particularly in areas of growth such as Katikati, Omokoroa, Te Puna and Bethlehem."

The council was working closely with Zespri, which represented almost all growers in the Bay of Plenty, and New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated to inform growers and orchard owners about the project and growers would be well aware of the need to register their land.

"This is being done all over the country, particularly in Hawke's Bay, Tasman, Marlborough, Nelson and Canterbury where land has been used for horticulture. While a current owner may not have used sprays on their property, earlier uses could indicate spray use."