Whanganui landowners surveyed about agribusiness

Whanganui & Partners agribusiness strategic lead Colleen Sheldon is surveying landowners. Photo / Supplied

Whanganui's farmers and primary producers are being surveyed to find out what they produce and what they need in order to produce more.

Whanganui & Partners, the district's economic development agency, and the Whanganui Rural Community Board are undertaking the survey. It has gone out to owners with 10ha or more of land in the Whanganui District.

Its main purpose is to measure the value of the sector and identify barriers to growth, Whanganui & Partners' agribusiness strategic lead Colleen Sheldon said.

"We have anecdotal data of Whanganui's strengths and weaknesses in agriculture and hearing directly from people at the grassroots will build a local picture for us to work from."

The survey canvasses rural landowners about topics such as internet and mobile coverage, water supply, land use opportunities and workforce needs.

"Not all rural areas have the same needs, and by collecting rich data we can identify enabling infrastructure needs, value-add opportunities and changing trends over time," Sheldon said.

She wants the district's primary industries, which include farmers, growers, orchardists and cottage industries, to be widely recognised as contributing to positive economic and social wellbeing.

"The primary industries were hailed for their role as an essential service during the Covid-19 lockdown, and the survey will help us capture the ongoing contribution that agribusiness makes to our district," she said.

Whanganui Rural Community Board deputy chairman David Wells was confident landowners would want their ongoing business investment and value understood.

"This is the first of its kind for Whanganui and we thank Whanganui & Partners for their work in recognising our farmers and growers, and look forward to seeing the results of this survey," he said.

People who have not received the survey, or have questions, can contact Sheldon on 06 349 3139. The survey closes on July 22.