Corporates taking over family orchard

The day of the family-owned apple orchard is almost over, says a pipfruit industry officer.

"We are losing the traditional family orchard and getting associations of growers who are increasing their plantings," said New Zealand Pipfruit technical manager Mike Butcher.

"In five years, the typical orchard will be owned by corporates.

"There will still be some family orchards, but the trend is to bigger orchards with a range of cultivars giving them the ability to supply markets as required."

Mr Butcher was speaking after his organisation - which plans and guides research for the pipfruit industry - moved its base to Hawkes Bay, as a result of changes with Enza.

New Zealand Pipfruit was formed in 1999 after it became clear that Enza would lose its status as the only exporter of pipfruit.

Enza's "industry good" functions, such as research and development, technology acquisitions and technology transfer needed a new home, he said.

Pipfruit Growers of New Zealand was the obvious body to take over and it set up New Zealand Pipfruit, now based in Havelock North, as a wholly owned subsidiary of Pipfruit Growers. The company is funded by grower levies.

The pipfruit industry has traditionally invested heavily in research and development to give it a competitive advantage in its markets.

Each winter the industry sets its research priorities for the coming season and New Zealand Pipfruit negotiates with providers such as HortResearch, the mainstay of plant breeding.

Mr Butcher said research had to be targeted at issues concerning the industry.

The company also had to respond to day-to-day issues that arose during the growing season, moving quickly to direct research to particular problems.

Last season, for example, a cold spring meant a lot of small fruit. New Zealand Pipfruit had been looking to see if it was a one-off event or if a change in management practice was needed.

Mr Butcher said monthly newsletters circulated regular information to growers, who also had e-mail or fax access to information on specific issues from the extensive technical library that had been developed over the years when Enza carried out the function.

Growers were keen to get information, he said.

Mr Butcher, an entomologist, took up the pipfruit position after working for Lincoln Ventures, the commercial arm of Lincoln University.

He said he believed the pipfruit industry was sound and was here to stay, along with a need for continuing research.

"We are dealing with living organisms and they are not going to behave in entirely predictable ways."

- NZPA