Horticulture New Zealand

Keeping New Zealand fruit fly-free: thank you, Aucklanders! Biosecurity New Zealand has put legal controls in place on the movement of fruit and vegetables in Papatoetoe following the detection of a single male Oriental fruit fly. While no further flies have been found, this response is essential to protect our horticulture sector from a potentially devastating pest. HortNZ thanks Aucklanders, especially those in the controlled area, for playing their part by following the movement restrictions. Your support is crucial in ensuring we keep New Zealand free of fruit fly. For more information, please visit the MPI website here: https://lnkd.in/gj-DTKX5

The discovery of a male Oriental fruit fly in Auckland is a concern for New Zealand growers. The fruit fly was found in a suburban backyard in Papatoetoe, as part of routine surveillance, however, checks of 187 other traps across Papatoetoe and Māngere have so far found no further signs of the pest. The Oriental fruit fly maggots can feed on 300 different fruit and vegetables. The fly's favourite hosts are apple, guava, mango, peach, and pear. Growers will be deeply concerned by this discovery. We are encouraged by Biosecurity New Zealand’s swift action, including increased trapping and testing in the area. Read more in our media release here https://lnkd.in/g-_t2JN8

🎄 Managing (pre-)diabetes during the festive season? More than 300,000 New Zealanders live with some form of diabetes, an increase of 95,700 people in three years. Alongside vegetables and fruit as part of a healthy diet, research from The University of Auckland and The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited is investigating how New Zealand’s kiwifruit, apples and feijoas could play a great role in supporting blood sugar management. From smart fruit timing to innovative powders, our homegrown solutions are making waves in diabetes research. 🥝🍎 📖 Read our report in the NZGrower & Orchardist December issue - out now 👉 https://lnkd.in/gjGkbHMP   #DiabetesManagement #NZScience #Innovation #Kiwifruit #Feijoa #Apples #Pipfruit #Horticulture #DiabetesResearch #HealthTech #FoodScience

🍓 Will you be enjoying the fruit of New Zealand's strawberry growers this Christmas? We visited Diana Gallagher at Clevedon Strawberries as the Auckland crop reached its peak a few weeks ago. This season Strawberry Growers NZ's Sally King reports exceptional quality and good harvests. Read the full story in the December NZGrower & The Orchardist – out now 👉 https://lnkd.in/gjGkbHMP #NZAgriculture #NZGrown #FreshProduce #StrawberrySeason #SupportLocal #NZFarmers #Horticulture #HortNZ

🥑 Meet Gary Moore, the award-winning avocado orchard manager at Seeka Limited. “For me, it’s not just the avocados, it’s the people I’ve become involved with,” he says. “It’s not an eight-to-five job. It’s my life.” From mechanic to managing nine thriving properties with incredible export pack-out rates, Gary's story is truly inspiring. The Te Roha Whānau Trust orchard he manages recently won BOP's Highest Yield Award! Read the full story in the December issue of NZGrower & Orchardist magazine, out now! 👉 https://lnkd.in/gYZyMasX #NZHorticulture #Avocados #Seeka #AgriSuccess #NZAgriculture #BayOfPlenty #Horticulture

Are you passionate about bringing positive change to the way growers carry out crop protection in New Zealand? Do you want to be part of contributing to a step change in the sector’s approach to pest management across horticulture, viticulture and arable crops? A Lighter Touch is seeking a Transition Technical Lead who will work with industry groups to help reduce agrichemical reliance by transitioning to lighter chemistries including biological products. This position is a full-time fixed term role, with the ability to be located almost anywhere across New Zealand. Details of the role, the skills and experience sought, and the application process are linked below. Applications close January 17. Come join the A Lighter Touch team and be part of this exciting programme of work!

From us all here at HortNZ we wish you a very merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year. We'll be closed from Tuesday 24 December, 5pm and back on Friday 3 January 2025. To our growers, thank you for your dedication to growing healthy food for New Zealanders and the world. This is a busy time for you, we hope you find the time to relax and celebrate with family and friends.

"Resistance is the crop protection issue of our time" 🌿 The latest issue of NZGrower & Orchardist explores how growers are adapting their approach to Integrated Weed Management, with insights from industry experts Milton Munro, Jeff Smith A Lighter Touch (New Zealand), Daniel Sutton, John van der Linden, and Charles Merfield. From cultural practices, non-chemical solutions and autonomous mechanical weeders like WeedSpider (SeedSpider), growers are expanding their toolbox while preserving the effectiveness of existing chemical tools. A must-read for anyone interested in the future of sustainable weed control in New Zealand horticulture. 📖 NZGrower & Orchardist December 2024/January 2025 issue - out now 👉 https://lnkd.in/gjGkbHMP #HortNZ #Agriculture #Horticulture #SustainableFarming #AgTech #Innovation

Save the date and join industry, growers, policymakers, stakeholders and others at our two-day New Zealand Horticulture Conferences in Wellington in August 2025. More information will be released early in 2025 along with the opportunity to book early bird tickets. 🍋 🍒 🍅 🥦 🥝

We’re looking to add expertise to the HortNZ team. We're looking for an Education Lead to support the capability, education and development objectives of our strategy. Someone that understands the issues relating to education and employment in the primary sector and, that can develop, deliver and maintain initiatives that will support the horticulture industry to attract, develop and retain the talent needed to meet our current and future workforce needs. Find out more and apply for the role 👉https://lnkd.in/g2kkbbrH . Applications close 10 January 2025.