Business Central September 2020

46 | Volume 5 | Issue 3 HORTICULTURE » Moffett Orchards A fertile place for family and farming Happy in their work: in the front Sean, left, and Joe; and back, Jonathan, left, and Jonty. Richard Loader Providing exceptional packaging since 1972. Let us help you find the right packaging and supplies for your business. East Coast Packaging Limited Cnr King & St Aubyn Streets, Hastings PO Box 104, Hastings 4122 E sales@ecp.nz W www.eastcoastpackaging.co.nz 100% LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED Servicing the entire Hawke’s Bay region PROUD TO SUPPORT MOFFETT ORCHARDS www.harrispumps.co.nz | 500 Omahu Road, Has � ngs | 06 878 8622 WITH PUMPS, FITTINGS & ADVICE “Growers had good land here and were supplying Watties when I first arrived, but later converted to apple growing because it was very promising. Of course in the last few years it has been labelled the most perfect place on earth to grow apples.” W hen Jonathan Moffett came to Hawke’s Bay from Northern Ireland back in the early 1960’s, he couldn’t believe how productive the land was. Armed with a forestry degree from Aberdeen University, and three years as forestry officer in County Antrim, Jonathan was astonished by the rate trees grew on the Heretaunga Plains’ rich and fertile soils, long sunshine hours and the plentiful supply of water from the Ngaruroro aquifer. “The conditions were so perfect compared to the damp, dark winters in the Glens of Antrim. “I could see that at the start and was never going back to Northern Ireland to grow anything.” Shortly after arriving in New Zealand Jonathan met and married Christine and together they leased an orchard with dessert peaches and nectarines for a couple of years before buying their first orchard. With neighbouring growers, Jonathan was shocked at how little people knew about how a tree operated. “Growers had good land here and were supplying Watties when I first arrived, but later converted to apple growing because it was very promising. “Of course in the last few years it has been labelled the most perfect place on earth to grow apples.” Over those early years, Jonathan and Christine set about growing their orchards along with their family of three sons and daughter, with Moffett Orchards now one of Hawke’s Bay’s largest family- owned and operated orchards. Moffett Orchards Ltd was founded in the late 1990’s when the couple’s three sons - Jonty, Joe and Sean - returned home after pursuing very diverse and adventurous careers overseas, bringing with them an eclectic skill base that has contributed to the business’ diversity. Located on the northern edge of the Heretaunga Plains, north west of the precious Ngaruroro River, Moffett Orchards is comprised of 14 separate blocks, some of which are neighbouring. The spread of blocks provides some internal insurance against the threat of hail, while sprinklers mitigate against frost damage. Totalling 200 hectares along with a 40-hectare lease block, about half the land is developed in ap- ple trees, with the remainder diversified into mixed cropping including machine harvested sweetcorn, courgettes, watermelons, rock melon, butternut and machine harvested green beans. “We’re apparently the biggest rock melon grower in New Zealand. “Our diversification provides some risk manage- ment but also gives us some level of importance to Countdown—one of our key markets.” While almost all crops and 80% of the apples are sold to Countdown and MG Marketing, the remain- ing 20% of apples are exported to China, India and the United Kingdom. A 10,000-bin coolstore and packhouse, designed and built by Joe who has a degree in engineering, has been added to the business over the last three years. Family plays an important part of Moffett Orchards with Jonty, Joe and Sean each having key responsibilities on the overall running of the business. While Jonty looks after the apple orchards, Joe manages the coolstore, packhouse and market- ing, with Sean responsible for all things cropping related. “These days I do the daily runs to town, look after the cardboard recycling and tidying up with the grandkids helping in the weekends,” says Jonathan.