Crops and Horticulture

crops and horticulture

Arable crops such as wheat, barley, oats and maize cover approximately 6,300 hectares of Southland. Most of this production is centered in Northern Southland where the natural environment provides large flat areas of land and reliable rainfall. The unique climate and good soils result in Southland having higher crop yields than in other areas of New Zealand.

Swedes grown for animal, as well as human, consumption are the most prevalent crop grown in Southland, followed by potatoes, carrots and parsnips. There has also been some expansion in the area of brassica crops (cauliflower and brussel sprouts etc).

Traditional Horticulture crops to not cover a large land area in the Southland region. There are small areas of cut flowers, medicinal herbs, nut crops and berry fruit, but most of these industires are of a small scale.

Trends and opportunities

There has been increased interest in growing organic produce in Southland; the land is well suited to this method of growing with low disease pressure compared to other regions of New Zealand. This is in keeping with Southland’s clean, green image, and there is a growing market for organic produce. Organic produce is available at the local farmers’ market.
Southland’s flowers are internationally competitive due to the high intensity of UV light producing strikingly bright colours. Southlanders have exported their flowers to Northern Hemisphere countries as our growing season coincides with many major holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. Southland flowers also mature later than in other production regions in New Zealand, giving almost exclusive ability to supply these high value markets. Flowers that do particularly well in Southland include paeonies, hydrangeas and lilacs.
Hazelnuts are a relatively recent addition to crops in Southland. They require low maintenance and are particularly suited to Southland’s climate. Market signals are showing a strong demand for nuts. Growers are working together and pooling resources to produce nuts for high end markets. Secondary processing such as shelling and roasting adds significant value to the returns for hazelnut crops. Nuts drop to the ground around Easter, and can be picked up over a period of up to three months. One disadvantage for long term crops such as hazelnuts is the time it takes to reach maturity. However, if immediate cash returns are not required, they can become a profitable crop over a few years. A Sustainable Farming Fund hazelnut project has recently been completed looking at the pollination of hazelnuts. This project gives local growers some certainty when it comes to planning orchards and planting the correct pollinator trees. For more information contact Venture Southland.
Although medicinal herbs are not grown widely in Southland the climate gives a competitive advantage for crops such as Arnica. A significant body of research is being developed and will be available on the CFS website and also the website of Crop and Food Research Ltd (www.crop.cri.nz).