Seeka markets Northland orchards

Seeka CEO Michael Franks

Seeka Limited released its information memorandum last week to market nine horticultural properties in Northland.

The properties are proposed to be sold by tender with orchard management and post-harvest supply contracts back to Seeka. The land holdings include the six properties recently purchased by Seeka from Turners and Growers Horticulture Limited and in total covered 288 title hectares.

Varieties grown on the properties include kiwifruit [Zespri SunGold, ENZAGold, EnzaRed and Hayward] along with avocados and lemons.

We are looking for a large-scale investor or consortium to own these orchards with professional orchard management and post-harvest services in place from Seeka.

Michael Franks

There is significant bare land suitable for horticulture development.

Michael Franks, Seeka chief executive outlined that the move to sell was consistent with strategy and Seeka's business model.

"This is a large scale horticultural asset holding in a prime growing region of New Zealand," he said. "We are looking for a large-scale investor or consortium to own these orchards with professional orchard management and post-harvest services in place from Seeka."

Seeka is investing in the fundamental post-harvest infrastructure with new packing facilities and coolstorage planned for Kerikeri.

The sale process was timed to close on August 15 at 5pm with independent consultant, Michael Blennerhassett, assisting with the co-ordination of the sale process.

The information memorandum is available on Seeka's website — www.seeka.co.nz