10 | Vegetable growers under big pressure Allen has been growing vegetables for more than 20 years. Allen Lim supplies wholesalers and supermarkets as well as sells directly at the gate. Kelly Deeks HORTICULTURE » Jade Garden Produce Ltd New Zealand vegetable growers are under massive pressure, says Canterbury vegetable grower and Vegetables NZ Board member Allen Lim. “Rules and regulations are making growing very complex and expensive,” he says. “I used to enjoy growing but I don’t as much anymore.” Allen has been growing vegetables for more than 20 years, having previously been an engineer. He has been involved in water and nutrient management in Canterbury for many years, and was Chair of the Selwyn-Waihora Zone Committee. Today, Allen supplies wholesalers and supermarkets as well as sells directly at the gate, so has a reasonably complete picture of the vegetable industry. “I know a number of people who have recently left the industry and I know of more that are hurting and are thinking of finishing up. The new Government has promised to put vegetable growing in New Zealand on a firmer footing. For too long, our industry has suffered from unworkable regional regulation, which has been written mainly for the pastural sector. “This is a sorry state. It’s hard to understand why this Government is not more supportive given how important fresh, healthy vegetables are to people.” Vegetable growing uses something like 3% of the land in Canterbury and only 0.3% of New Zealand’s agricultural land. The environmental impact is very localised as there are some quite distinct regions that are favourable for growing vegetables. “I understand the environmental impact of farming but at the end of the day, we have to eat and eat healthily, and we can’t grow vegetables just anywhere,” Allen says. “The rules in Canterbury are okay. However, we cannot expand our growing area to keep up with population increases. The situation in Canterbury is a lot more workable than the situation in Pukekohe or the Horowhenua, where growing is under immense threat from unworkable regional regulation.” Allen is also involved in growing cucumbers in greenhouses and says the rate of change in this part of the industry is also immense, requiring huge capital investment to deliver what the Government is asking for. “But at the same time, the Government has reduced industrial allocation, which would have facilitated the transition to more environmentally friendly forms of heating. Instead, the changes has added eight cents to the cost of each cucumber.” Allen says all this is adding up to higher costs for both growers and consumers, which most can’t afford and can’t be passed on because in vegetable industry, growers are price takers. “In the longer term, I think the situation will lead to lower vegetable consumption, which will cost the country dearly. Otago University research already shows that low vegetable consumption is costing the taxpayer Proud to be a supplier to Jade Garden Produce Limited. Suppliers to the Hor�culture Industry throughout New Zealand, your flexible packaging one stop shop Ristrom Packaging (2004) Limited Phone: (03) 358-6082 Email: sales@ristrom.co.nz Phone Sandy on 027 438 9576 | Quarry Hours: 7am - 5pm weekdays Call Sandy for all your Commercial & Residential site works, farm tracks & rural excavation requirements We supply a wide range of aggregate direct from our quarry, ex river pick up or we deliver Your aggregate and excavation specialists billions in escalating health care costs.” Allen says he still enjoys the growing itself but doesn’t enjoy doing all the paperwork he now has to do to justify his business’s existence. “Growing has evolved from what used to be an art form to more of a science. Today, there is plenty of research going on to inform us about how we can do things better. Some of this research is funded by the Government, and makes it plain to see that growers are working to industry best practice. Let us trust the research and lower the regulatory burden, thereby lowering the cost of vegetables for the health and wellbeing of the nation.” Allen with business partner Robert Lindsay.
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