arable & Honey

Southland is an agricultural paradise consuming a temperate climate with unique fertile soils. About 12,000 hectares of the province is planted in arable crops, most crop production occurs in Northern Southland where the land is large, flat and reliable on rainfall.

Traditionally, barley (44 percent), oats (27 percent) and wheat (19 percent) accounted for the majority of arable crops. Southland was always however, far better known for swedes – grown as animal fodder and sold at roadside stalls for human consumption by enterprising farm youngsters. Potatoes, carrots and parsnips are next most common crops grown in the region.

There has been a significant increase in growing organic produce in Southland, as the land suited for this method with low disease pressure fits well with the landscape. Growing hazelnuts has also increased as they are particularly suited to Southland's climate.  

A Bit Of History

In the 1960s Nelson Pyper established a potato crop that developed into a thriving root crop business, that by 2007 was a year-round business employing 50 people and exporting fresh produce to Malaysia, Japan and Singapore, as well as supplying supermarkets New Zealand wide.

In Gore, Sergeant Dan stood proudly on the side of the Fleming’s Creamoata Mill for decades before the factory finally closed in 2001, when Goodman Fielder announced it was consolidating its operation in Australia.  Saying the mill was no longer viable because less than a third of its capacity was being used. Southern grain-growers then sent crops to Harraway and Sons in Dunedin for processing.

Bakery Product Manufacturing

Values are set high in the Southland region with food manufacturing. Quality Foods Southland (QFS) is one of those companies taking a leading role in adding extra value to their product line. QFS takes pride in preserving and maintaining New Zealand's clean and green reputation for generations to follow, by becoming proactive in recycling and minimising waste. The company also sources all products from non-gentically modified ingredients.

Southland's bakery sector is vastly expanding and growing on its reputation of being a proud owner to 'home-style' baking and cooking.

DAIRY

Southland is a thriving dairy centre in New Zealand due to the temperate climate and natural soils in the region. South Island dairy herds account for 20% of the national total and the average Southland cow boasts 389kg compared to New Zealand's average cow of 329kg. This accounts for the high production of milk soilds per cow where Southland cows produce the highest on average.

Not only are cows the main source of dairy products in Southland. Sheep milk has became a successful source for Invercargill company Blue River Dairy Products. This boutique cheese company have created very interesting and tasty multi-winning 100% sheep milk cheeses and organic varieties, selling all over New Zealand and to international destinations.

A Bit Of History

At one time every small district in Southland boasted its own dairy factory. By the mid 1980s the sole survivor was the Edendale Factory, best known for its award winning Pioneer cheddar cheese. From the mid 1990s large scale dairy farms became commonplace as farmers flocked to Southland, from original strongholds like Taranaki, to convert former sheep and beef farms. Following the merger of the New Zealand Dairy Board, New Zealand Dairy Group and Kiwi Co-operative Dairies, a new group called Fonterra Co-Operative Limited was born. By 2006 it was producing 14 billion litres of milk annually and was the world’s leading dairy exporter. Fonterra built around and over the original Edendale factory to reflect the growth of dairying on the local scene.

confectionary/beverages

 
Overcoming the difficulties of geographic isolation has seen Southern processors develop world-leading expertise. Often it’s adhering to the old ways that sets some southern processors ahead of the pack.

Like many Kiwi's, Southlanders especially, are known for their innovativeness and 'thinking outside of the square' attitude. This has helped many create diversed value-added food products.

Invercargill Brewery, established in 1999, has forged a name for itself with beer and cider made according to traditional methods with added unique flavours.

The Seriously Good Chocolate Company has taken the confectionary world by storm thanks to a recipe passed through the generations. These chocolates are well known for being infused with great New Zealand wine flavours.                                                         

meat

Southland is well known for its high quality pasture grown meat products, which includes cervena, elk, lamb and beef. Niche meats include wild venison and organic meats. 

Southland's strengths, for meat production, lie in the innate landscape of the region, temperate climate,  fertile soils, lush grass and its high sunlight hours.

A Bit Of History

The first shipment of sheep to Bluff in 1855 sparked a whole new industry as Southland quickly became regarded as the ultimate ovine pasture. With the construction of roads and railways, farming spread rapidly throughout the province.

Early processing was fairly primitive, with meat carcasses mostly prepared at home. Refrigeration transformed the industry in 1882 when wool took a back seat to meat production. Southland's first freezing works opened the following year. A meat processing plant at Matuara soon followed in 1893. In 1948, a group of farmers formed the Alliance Freezing Company (Southland) Ltd as an alternative processing facility for Southland farmers. Its Lorneville plant opened in 1960 and two decades later, Alliance became a co-operative company. In 1992, just 20 percent of the lamb killed or further processed. Consumer demand meant by 2007 more the 600 specifications for lamb alone were being produced at Alliance for export to 65 countries. By 2007 Alliance had eight plants (three in Southland) which processed about a third of New Zealand's total production. Other major players in the meat processing stakes include PPCS, Blue Sky Meats and South Pacific Meats which opened a new plant near Invercargill in 2006 - a testament to Southland's continuing strength in the slaughtering field.

Deer Farming 

Southland is a popular breeding ground for deer farming and you would be sure to find most restaurants in and around the Southland region will have venison on the menu. Mossburn, in Northern Southland, is regarded as New Zealand's deer farming capital, home to PPCS vension processing plant, first established by John Mair. Another well recognised deer guru is Tom May with his Mayfield Elk farm near Winton, otherwise known as Supreme Elk. This farm is regarded as one of New Zealand's best Elk studs that is bred for the domestic market and internationally.

Mutton birds 

Not far from Stewart Island are the surrounding 36 Titi Islands (known as the Muttonbird Islands). During the Muttonbird season which begins in April and runs into May the Rakiura (Stewart Island) Maori (the Maori people of New Zealand's Southernmost region and their descendants) have rights to gather and harvest Muttonbirds. Rakiura Maori used Muttonbirds for trade items for their meat, their feathers and down. The name Muttonbirds was adopted by the early Europeans as when the birds were put into barrels and salted the oily flesh tasted similar to mutton or lamb. The harvest which occurs annually was and still is a huge cultural and economic significance for the people of the region and is a sought after delicacy.

organic

The organic food market is a worldwide growth industry which can be beneficial, profitable and sustainable for consumers, producers and the environment.

There has been a strong interest in growing organic produce in Southland because the land is suited for this method; due to the very low disease pressure.

Southland is well known for its 'clean, green image' of cool, unpolluted waters, greenest grass, fertile soils and its temperate climate  and a great opportunity exisits for  Southland organic producers to find a niche in the domestic and world organics market.

Southland has plentiful arable products from agricultural farming and many businesses in the region are already producing items for this market and there is certainly room for expansion in this sector.

professional services

Southland accomodates foodies in the region with the support from many professional services. Such services provide local businesses with skills, knowledge, reputation, creativity and shared resources. The following companies are listed on the Food Network South database may help you with the opportunity to further expand your business.

ready made meals

As lifestyles get busier the demand for convenience foods increases. Southland is taking advantage of this need with companies like Back Country Foods Ltd who have established their own freeze drying plants in Invercargill to manufacture freeze dried meals. Back Country Foods take advantage of the selection of local ingredients which are grown in Southland's natural environment used with minimal chemicals. The company also takes pride in exceptionally high export standards and have grown a significant reputation domestically and internationally.

seafood

Southland's cool, clean and unpolluted waters are filled with delicious fish and seafood varieties.  Seafood from the region is recognised as being one of the world's finest products to have on the menu. Varieties include rock lobster, deep sea and inshore fish species and a range of shellfish including the internationally recognised brand of Bluff Oysters - worth an estimated $30 million annually.

While fish species such as the Blue Cod has predominatley been the most acclaimed favourite since the turn of the century. Aquaculture farming of salmon, paua, mussells, oysters and scallops are a major source of wealth for the region.

 

A Bit Of History

James Spencer was credited with founding the first fishing station in Southland at Bluff harbour in 1862. The port town relied on fish for survival for many years, developing several processing plants to cater for the resident fleet.

By the 1940s there was a significant demand from America for Southland frozen lobster tails. This further fuelled the development of the Fiordland lobster industry which consequentially expanded and later peaked at 4000 tonnes in 1956. In 1989 The Fiordland Lobster Company was established by a dozen local fishermen, with the aim of developing new processing facilities to enable the export of live lobster. The initiative revolutionised the industry and in 2005 the Te Anau based company exported 400 tonnes of live lobster (commanding up to $US45 a kilo), with 96 percent sent to mainland China.

Major Fishing Ports

Southland is the proud owner of ports in Riverton, Bluff, Stewart Island, Milford and Waikawa all of which service the fishing industry in the region.