| 51 Ahuwhenua announcement in parliament: Tikai Huna (Chair & Ngāti Awa Shareholder Director), Jordan-Leigh Pōtaka Taite (Te Ringa Hāpai -EA), Tom Heeney (GM Operations and Owner EHC Management Limited), Charles Russell (Te Manahautū | CEO). Ballance Farm Environment Awards » Matai Pacific Iwi Collective “We are an iwi collective committed to harnessing our people’s combined strength through kotahitanga to deliver enduring prosperity for our beneficiaries and upholding environmental stewardship (kaitiakitanga) and our cultural values within the kiwifruit industry. “Our primary goal is to be recognised as a leader of excellence among Māori kiwifruit growers, honouring the mana of our iwi and creating a legacy of sustainable prosperity for generations to come. “Our recognition as a Ballance Awards finalist reflects our success so far in achieving that goal.” Mātai Pacific has an approximate capital value of $130m which is expected to grow to $200m by 2035 as further development and optimisation are completed. The enterprise began when the three iwi identified an opportunity in the kiwifruit sector as the industry began recovering from the devastating PSA bacterial canker outbreak of 2010. In 2017 a large Bay of Plenty kiwifruit orchard came on the market at a time when the industry was just beginning to benefit from the success of the SunGold variety. Rigorous commercial analysis preceded the establishment of Mātai Pacific to buy the properties comprising 79 canopy hectares producing around 970,000 trays of fruit a year, an output since increased to around 1.5 million trays. The production increase reflects the business’ redevelopment and optimisation, including switching more canopy area to the SunGold variety. Equally impressive has been the collective’s contribution to its environment. Mātai Pacific operates under the principles of Manaaki Whenua, a structured environmental management system that integrates cultural values with science and best industry practice. “We’ve undertaken detailed GIS environmental mapping to identify waterways, bio-diversity areas and restoration zones, and are engaged in intensive native planting across gullies, slopes and riparian margins to stabilise soils and improve bio-diversity,” Charles says. “We’ve also introduced sediment and erosion control planting using sedges and stabilisation species in erosion-prone flow paths, and developed wetland areas to filter nutrients and sediments before entering waterways. “Our orchards serve as active research grounds where we’ve hosted scientific trials on native pollinators since 2019.” Proud to work with Matai Pacific Iwi Collective Stem Rural Accountants We’re not your typical accounting practice - just straightforward advice, quick responses, and a team that’s refreshingly easy to engage with. We want to take away your pain when dealing with your books – that’s what makes working with us a breeze. Let’s grow together! 123 Jellicoe Street, Te Puke 3119 PH 07 573 5569 www.stemrural.co.nz We’re specialist Rural Accountants • Xero and Figured experts • Balance Agri-Nutrients is the prime sponsor of the environmental farm awards run by the New Zealand Farm Environment Trust to celebrate sustainable farming practices, to encourage their uptake and to recognise innovation and responsibility. From its formation, Mātai Pacific has had Westpac NZ as its banker, funded in part by the bank’s Sustainable Farm Loan, a whole-of-farm financing solution featuring discounted lending rates.
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