As we approach 2025, New Zealand’s fruit and vegetable growers are navigating a host of challenges that affect both their livelihoods and the future of food production. At MyNoke, many of our biggest customers come from the food and fibre sector, so we’ve gained firsthand insight into the pressures they face and the innovative solutions they’re exploring. While some issues, like labour shortages and climate change, are widely recognised, others, such as soil degradation and market volatility, demand greater attention. The good news? Groundbreaking approaches are emerging, offering hope and new pathways for resilience.
The Challenges Facing Growers
- Labour Shortages Demographic shifts, an aging workforce, and regulatory hurdles make finding skilled labour increasingly difficult. In New Zealand, Cyclone Gabrielle compounded the issue by destroying infrastructure crucial for housing seasonal workers from Pacific Islands. Rising labour costs further strained operations, leading some growers to reduce acreage or invest in automation.
- Climate Change Unpredictable weather patterns, rising temperatures, and extreme events like droughts and floods pose severe threats to crop yields. Produce perishability exacerbates the problem, with wet or hot conditions reducing shelf life and market viability. Studies highlight that New Zealand is experiencing a marked increase in extreme weather events, which directly affect agricultural output.
- Soil Health Years of intensive farming have depleted soil fertility, leading to erosion and lower yields. Coupled with extreme weather, poor land management practices continue to degrade this vital resource.
- Water Scarcity Water availability is becoming increasingly precarious, especially in regions like the Mackenzie Country. The New Zealand Institute of Economic Research has prepared a report making the economic case for vegetable production in New Zealand, focusing on the importance of freshwater management and the need for a National Direction for Vegetables.
- Market Pressures Price volatility, competition, and high transportation costs weigh heavily on growers, especially small-scale operations. Export demands add another layer of complexity, making it hard to remain competitive. Recent amendments to the Climate Change Response Act could reshape market dynamics for growers.
- Regulatory and Financial Strains Increased compliance requirements and rising input costs - from fertilisers to machinery - are tightening margins for growers across the board. Key factors affecting increased fertiliser costs are rising energy prices and potential geopolitical shocks, particularly from conflicts in the Middle East affecting natural gas supplies used in fertiliser production.
Land Use Effects On Soil Quality. Source: https://environment.govt.nz
Practical Solutions For Growers
Despite these hurdles, growers are proving their adaptability and resilience through a variety of innovative strategies:
- Embracing Automation New Zealand's horticulture sector is increasingly adopting automation to address labour shortages and enhance efficiency. Robotics Plus, a New Zealand-based company, has developed an autonomous modular vehicle designed to perform various tasks in tree and vine crops, such as intelligent spraying, to alleviate labor shortages. Additionally, T&G Global has commissioned an automated packhouse in the Hawke's Bay, expected to pack more than 125 million kilograms of apples per season, effectively doubling its previous capacity.
- Adopting Sustainable Practices Techniques like crop rotation, regenerative farming, and cover cropping are revitalising soil health while bolstering resilience against climate challenges. A study by the Rodale Institute revealed that regenerative practices, such as cover cropping, can increase soil organic matter by up to 20% within five years. Farmers are also exploring agroforestry and reduced tillage to create more sustainable systems.
- Optimising Water Management Implementing efficient irrigation strategies is crucial for conserving water and enhancing crop yields. A study on irrigation and nitrogen effects on tuber yield and water use efficiency of potato cultivars found that drip-irrigated crops had significantly higher water productivity compared to furrow-irrigated crops.
- Implementing Climate-Smart Agriculture Innovations like flood-tolerant grafting, biological pest control, and crop diversification are equipping farmers to adapt to unpredictable climate conditions. The FAO reports that farmers using biological pest control have seen a 30% reduction in pesticide use, supporting both environmental sustainability and cost efficiency.
- Advocating for Policy Support The New Zealand government has demonstrated its commitment to supporting the food and fibre sector through various funding initiatives. The Ministry for Primary Industries' Annual Report 2023/24 outlines funding and rural support programs aimed at enhancing sustainability and innovation in the sector, including the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures Fund co-investing $664 million in 320 projects since 2018, including initiatives like eliminating facial eczema in livestock and the Māori Kiwifruit Exporting Programme.
- Enhancing Market Resilience New Zealand's horticulture industry is actively implementing advanced post-harvest technologies to maintain produce quality and extend shelf life, thereby strengthening market resilience. Plant & Food Research collaborates with food producers and exporters to optimise post-harvest and supply chain management, ensuring that fruits are delivered to retailers and consumers in optimal condition. Their work includes developing new technologies for efficient grading and sorting of produce, as well as identifying optimal storage methods to preserve food quality during transportation. Additionally, the introduction of the SunGold kiwifruit variety has significantly contributed to the resilience of New Zealand's kiwifruit industry. Developed in response to the PSA plant disease crisis, the SunGold variety has surpassed traditional green kiwifruit in popularity, revitalizing the industry and ensuring its sustainability.
These initiatives demonstrate New Zealand's commitment to integrating technology and innovation in horticulture to enhance efficiency, conserve resources, and strengthen market resilience.
A Collaborative Future
Growers have long understood the unpredictable nature of working the land, but the challenges they face today demand an unprecedented level of innovation and collaboration. At MyNoke, we’re proud to contribute to these efforts by delivering sustainable solutions like high-quality vermicast. Vermicast enriches soil health, improving crop yields and resilience against extreme weather while reducing reliance on synthetic fertilisers.
The future of farming will be defined by resilience and creativity. Together, let’s continue to turn obstacles into opportunities to ensure a thriving food and fibre sector for generations to come.