22 | Richard Loader Orchard expansion a focus for Trust The Trust’s success in its foray into Hawke’s Kiwifruit buoyed its confidence to expand operations in the region into apple growing. Ngai Tukairangi Trust From an initial investment of $40 million in 2017 purchasing four kiwifruit orchards in Hawke’s Bay, Ngai Tukairangi Trust has firmly embedded itself as a prominent grower in the fruit bowl of New Zealand, more than doubling its footprint in that time, and holding a strong vision for future expansion in the region. The initial investment bought orchards in Omahu and Puketapu, representing one of the largest land purchases by a Māori organisation in New Zealand. Known as Waima Orchards, they were a combination of four orchards encompassing 65 hectares, and provided the Trust with the largest covered gold kiwifruit orchards in the Southern Hemisphere. Since purchasing these orchards, the Trust has quadrupled yield, culminating in record crop yields for those orchards. “We took over the orchards when they were very young and now they’re starting to mature under our ownership,” says Trust Chairman Ratahi Cross. “We’re now achieving a yield of 900,000 trays per annum. In Hawke’s Bay, we only grow gold kiwifruit, it’s a G3 variety called SunGold™. Being in Hawke’s Bay, our orchards are predominantly early start orchards and so the first to be picked and first to the market.” The Trust’s success in its foray into Hawke’s Kiwifruit buoyed its confidence to expand operations in the region into apple growing and leased land on Lawn Road with a new development of Rockit™ apples. “We then bought shares in Rockit™, which made us the one of the largest grower/shareholders of Rockit™. Over the last three years we’ve purchased some considerably large apple orchards in the Twyford area, central Hastings. We’re converting those into specific varieties of apples like Envy, which will be packed and marketed by Turners & Growers (T&G). We also bought a very large area of land in Mangateretere, Havelock North. We removed all the apples that were there and embarked on putting in a very large Rockit™ apple plantation. We’re using a lot of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology across these new orchards. For example, we’re using satellite technology to identify every single fruit plant individually so to page 24 that we can identify the specific needs of the individual plant. Part of that is about developing a better sustainability over resources. We plan to roll this technology out across all our orchards eventually.” Ratahi says it is expected the first apple crops will be harvested this coming season. From the Trust’s initial fruit growing footprint of 65 hectares, the business operation has grown to about 135 hectares, with over a $100 million invested in Hawke’s Bay, and an eye to the future. “We’re looking at creating a relationship with local Hawke’s Bay iwi Ngati Kahungunu. “They are the largest land owners in the region and we would like to expand the horticultural footprint, aligned to their vision to develop their land. At the size and scale that we are we can afford to invest in partnerships. “The partnership is about creating further size and scale for Hawke’s Bay, and creating a better marketable footprint. “The Asian market is insatiable, and you have to have scale to create better returns on investment. So, it’s a good opportunity to develop māori within the Hawke’s Bay region, and to develop the scale of fruit.” Ngai Tukairangi Trust’s orchard operations include everything except packaging and marketing, which is handled by Zespri for kiwifruit, along with T&G, Rockit or other apple packers in the region. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Shop online at www.mossops.co.nz Or via phone on 0800 946 677 We are proud to support Ngāi Tukairangi Power Farming Hawkes Bay | 06 879 9998 Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa, Central Otago 06 8700658
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=