Small pockets of underused Maori land could soon be producing fruit and vegetables for New Zealand's first umbrella brand for indigenous producers - Aotearoa.
The Hawkes Bay business, Aotearoa Horticulture, launched the domestic and export brand last week to encourage Maori landowners to invest in the horticultural industry.
The director of Aotearoa
Horticulture, Wi Huata, a Hawkes Bay orchardist who developed the brand concept along with Hastings grower Rex Graham, said there were at least 30,000ha of undeveloped Maori-owned land, some of which could easily be developed into world-class horticulture operations.
Other products may sell under the brand, including mineral water, kiwifruit and vegetables, and Mr Huata said the brand would not be exclusive to Maori producers.
The Minister of Agriculture, Jim Sutton, said the multiple ownership structure of Maori land was sometimes a barrier to extracting the most value, but horticulture would produce returns in a shorter period and would create more job opportunities.
