The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Listen: Why China is important for NZ horticulture

The Country
1 May, 2019 02:30 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Photo / File

Photo / File

Content brought to you by Rabobank.

China's influence on New Zealand's horticulture industry continues, with a "massive growth spurt," in fruit and vegetable imports over the last few years, says Hayden Higgins.

Rabobank's Horticulture and Wine Analyst told The Country's Jamie Mackay, that China makes up about 28 per cent of New Zealand's fruit and vegetable exports.

New Zealand performs well in China compared to Australia, as the Aussies prefer to focus on the domestic economy said Higgins.

The countries to watch out for "in the fruit bowl" are Peru, Mexico, Chile and the US, who are all competitive in the Chinese market said Higgins, but New Zealand is still holding its own.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Rabobank's Hawkes Bay-based Horticulture and Wine Analyst Hayden Higgins. Photo / Supplied
Rabobank's Hawkes Bay-based Horticulture and Wine Analyst Hayden Higgins. Photo / Supplied

"We're actually performing pretty well. If you look at New Zealand from an import growth perspective of key fruit categories, we're actually performing at-like or better-than those key countries."

When it comes to local markets, Hawke's Bay-based Higgins said the apple harvest was "going pretty well," with good volume and quality being delivered to pack houses.

"The sentiment out there seems to be pretty positive."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Listen below:

Although things are running smoothly, Higgins pointed out it was key to keep an eye on managing flows and stressed the importance of having enough labour.

"There's always a pinch point but as I understand it, people are getting the crop picked so I guess it depends how many RSE workers various companies have, or how many seasonal employees they're able to pick up."

A positive note from another successful crop will please Hawke's Bay red wine fans, said Higgins, who noted the 2019 vintage will be "one to watch out for."

Discover more

Dairy farmer gets in behind NZ Dog Trial Champs

24 Apr 02:30 AM

Rabobank Best of The Country - April 27, 2019

26 Apr 07:00 PM

Rise in agri-sector confidence expected

28 Apr 09:45 PM

Rabobank predicts strong farmgate milk prices

30 Apr 10:00 PM

Also in today's interview: Higgins takes a look at South America's influence on the world trade stage.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country

Germany and New Zealand trade on the up as Fieldays provides important business platform

Premium
The Country

'They just keep coming': Illegal hunting causes frustration and fear on East Coast

The Country

Watch: CCTV shows moment drug-driver caused tractor to crash into homes


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

Germany and New Zealand trade on the up as Fieldays provides important business platform
The Country

Germany and New Zealand trade on the up as Fieldays provides important business platform

xx

17 Jul 05:00 PM
Premium
Premium
'They just keep coming': Illegal hunting causes frustration and fear on East Coast
The Country

'They just keep coming': Illegal hunting causes frustration and fear on East Coast

17 Jul 06:00 AM
Watch: CCTV shows moment drug-driver caused tractor to crash into homes
The Country

Watch: CCTV shows moment drug-driver caused tractor to crash into homes

17 Jul 03:49 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP