Tupu NZ

With all the country gripped by COVID-19, work and planning for the future is still a key focus for Te Puni Kōkiri — the Ministry of Māori Development.  The greenhouse tomato factsheet has recently been launched.  Due to COVID-19 the current market is struggling to adjust, but this blimp is just that and, in the future, more than ever this part of the NZ greenhouse industry will have significant importance.

Below is a brief introduction and at the bottom is the link to the recently launched Tomato fact sheet.

Current Industry:

There are around 125 businesses growing 120 hectares of tomatoes under cover in New Zealand. The industry generates more than $130M a year and provides about 1,000 jobs.

Almost all of our covered tomato crop is sold here in New Zealand, as whole fresh tomatoes that we buy from retailers. Exported tomatoes bring in around $10M each year, mostly from Australia, Asia, Canada and the Pacific Islands.

Future industry:

The New Zealand Institute for Economic Research (NZIER) expects the tomato industry to continue growing at about 10% per year. The issues facing the industry in the next few years are environmental. Changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and rules around nutrient discharge and run-off will have an impact on growers.

https://www.tupu.nz/en/fact-sheets/tomatoes-covered-cropping

Photo of a variety called Provine.  Seed supplied by Nunhems 

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Article Written and compiled by Stefan Vogrincic, Consultant, Grower2Grower

Article Edited by Marie Vogrincic, Editor, Grower2Grower