Northland's peanut trials are entering their third year. Photo / Northland Inc
Northland's peanut trials are entering their third year. Photo / Northland Inc
The Northland peanut trials proved a hard nut to crack as severe weather pummelled the region and washed out last year’s crop.
But the feasibility project is back on track for its third year and ready to build on early successes.
The trial was launched in 2021 to explore the region’s potential for growing peanuts commercially. Initially, four varieties of Spanish Hi Oleic peanuts were planted on a kūmara farm in Ruawai, at Te Kōpuru near Dargaville, and near Kai Iwi Lakes. This year the trial will expand to include Far North locations.
The nut which has smaller kernels and reddish-brown skins is most widely used in confectionery and snacks, as well as peanut butter production.
Northland Inc project manager Greg Hall said last year’s planting had been severely impacted by the unseasonable wet weather in October through to December.
Northland Inc project manager Greg Hall in the field during the harvest of the Year 1 trials. Photo / Northland Inc
Waterlogged soil hampered planting windows which he said ultimately saw a “washout of crops” that occurred across much of Northland’s agriculture industry.
However, hopes are high this year as around 5ha of peanuts are expected to be planted in October and November.
The trials yielded promising results in its first year from four successfully harvested cultivars.
“Harvest of year one of the peanut trials saw a sample of 18kg of peanuts sent to Pic’s Peanut Butter in Nelson, where cultivars were processed into peanut butter,” Hall said.
“In some cases the nutritional values of the Northland-grown cultivars were higher than the peanuts that Pic’s imports from other countries, indicating the quality potential of locally grown produce.”
Harvest of year one of the peanut trials saw a sample of 18kg of peanuts sent to Pic’s Peanut Butter in Nelson. Photo / Northland Inc
Pic’s imports peanuts from Australia, Nicaragua, Brazil as well as some from Argentina and Zambia.
Pic Picot, owner and founder of Picot Productions, which Pic’s Peanut Butter belongs to, said at the trials’ inception that a local supply of peanuts would be fantastic.
”We currently use 3000 tonnes of peanuts a year and spend between $5 million and $10m a year overseas. It would be great to be able to spend that money in Northland,” he told NZME at the time.
Hall said the potential benefits from a peanut industry in the region were multifaceted.
“The Northland peanut trials allow us to assess the opportunity and potential benefits of industry establishment while minimising the risk for our agricultural farmers.”
Plant & Food Research business development manager Declan Graham hoped the weather played its part this year so success could continue to grow.
“We’ve already established that some of the short-season cultivars that have been evaluated to date produce very good yields.”
The project is being led by Northland Inc - the region’s economic development agency, and involves the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Fibre Future fund, Picot Productions, Plant & Food Research, and Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research.
