SUMMARY OF EVIDENCE OF GROWERS AND HORTICULTURE SUBMITTERS FOR THE BOI ON THE TUKITUKI CATCHMENT PROPOSALS
Core principles guiding Horticulture New Zealand’s position in this case • To maintain existing levels of access and reliability to water for existing users and provide for food production values • Retain a good level of water quality in the Tukituki River, to allow the continued enjoyment of the river by Hawke’s Bay community for a range of social, cultural, recreational and economic activities • Seek opportunities to develop storage in line with the above two principles Our underlying goal is to ensure that growers can effectively and sustainably add value to the Hawke’s Bay community
Changing structure of horticulture industry For larger growers, cost as a proportion of production value is modelled as low as 0.8 % For smaller growers, costs as a proportion of market value is as high as 10.5% Incentive is to grow or fail. Some niche markets exist.
F r uit and Ve ge table Pr oduc tion Node s
Horticulture in the Hawke’s Bay Region • Over 20,000 ha of production – the largest horticultural sub-region in NZ • Main crops include apples, peas, apricots, plums, asparagus, pumpkin, nectarines, squash, olives, sweetcorn, peaches, tomatoes, pears and wine grapes • A crucial link in the domestic food supply chain • Significant high value export • Investment in horticulture in Hawke’s Bay estimated $5.5 billion • Roughly 17% of NZ’s total fruit production • Around 17.5% of NZ’s total vegetable production • 12,000 full time equivalents employed at peak season
What is crop rotation in the Hawke’s Bay • Huge variety in: o rotational structure of farms o crops grown o methods applied o scale of operation • Vary from 2 years to over 12 years in length • Rotation critical for sustainability of horticulture o maintenance of soil health o suppress soil borne diseases • Land leased or swapped between or from a variety of landowners, not just growers
Water challenges Managing nutrients • Conserving soils • Responsible use of agrichemicals • Efficient water use • Sharing and leasing of land • Access to water to produce food •
Key resource management issues for horticulture in New Zealand and in Hawke’s Bay • National issues – land and water • National issue – licence to operate • Regional issues – freshwater management (quantity) • Work commissioned or undertaken to support the relief sought
Working with Council and parties to achieve an outcome • The industry has invested heavily in providing science based evidence to support, back up and in places enhance (i.e. support the position of the submitters) to the work of Council, for example: o Hydrologists and modellers worked together to better identify groundwater and surface water connections in the lower Tukituki area o Economists to worked together to calculate economic effects and add post-harvest multipliers to calculate the relation between on- and off-farm effects
Outstanding issues with Council Outstanding issues are: • The impact for the Red Bridge water takes of increasing the minimum flow to 5200L/s in 2023 • The need for inclusion of more essential takes in times of most need
Grower Case Studies Hawke’s Bay Horticulturalists
Bruce Mackay • Heinz Watties grows on 1500 hectares across approximately 400 properties • Annual crops = Tomatoes, Beetroot, Butternut Pumpkins, Sweetcorn • Perrienial = Peaches, Pears, Plums, Asparagus, Boysenberries • Irrigation is necessary for all crops grown
Bruce Mackay (cont.) • Security of water supply enabling longer term capital investments in permanent crops, or more efficient irrigation systems • Access to large areas of lower capital value irrigable, arable land should attract some of the less climate sensitive (frost) arable crops off the Heretaunga Plains thereby reducing pressure on Heretaunga Plains land and water resource, which is now seeing evidence of overcropping (poorer soil structure, wind erosion) due to lack of land availability. This should see an environmental benefit over time.
Jacqueline and Nigel Burbury • Orchard owners located mid way between the Red and Black Bridges – Zone 1 • Predominantly peaches, cherries grown for the local market, and a small area of pears • Surface water take from the Tukituki at Red Bridge end so significantly affected by any change in minimum flows
Jacqueline and Nigel Burbury (cont.) • Ban imposed on March 1st when flows at the Red Bridge fell below the 3500litre/second threshold • Loss of $160,000 operating income plus unquantified operating costs • Ongoing detrimental agronomic impact on our trees have suffered which will be felt for seasons to come
David Addis • In Zones 2 and 3 • Grow onions, peas, beans, beetroot, grass seed, oats and squash. • Key issue is overall allocation and seasonal allocation
David Phillips • A farmer (30 years) with sheep and beef interests and cropping (maize, brewer’s barley, winter wheat, pumpkin seed) in Zone 1 • Limited options to diversity if water use changes • Affected by any reduction in minimum flows at Red Bridge
Xan Harding • Grape grower and wine sector representative o Tukituki – 12ha – owned o Te Awanga – 23ha – managed o Maraekakaho – 14ha – owned o Maraekakaho – 54ha – consultant • Irrigation: o WP040519T -17.7 L/s, 3031m m3/week o Frost WP060342T - 109.74 L/s o Frost WP070373T – 17.7 L/s
Xan Harding (cont.) • Key issue is the impact on the Lower Tukituki surface water takers • Key issues for grape and wine growers are: o Water for frost protection o Seasonal allocation o Essential / survival water • Support the Council’s position to date but still have significant concerns with increasing the minimum flow from 4300L/s to 5200L/s in 2023
Graham Bartleet, Pernod Ricard • Pernod Ricard’s have 38 has in Lower Tukituki (Zone 2) • Approximately 280 tonnes of Chardonnay fruit / annum supplies a number of Hawke’s Bay wine brands • Support changes to date but still have significant concerns with the reduction in minimum flow in 2023 from 4300L/s to 5200L/s would have resulted in a 59 days restriction in last drought event
Leon Stallard • Orchardist and Trustee and operator of Claremont Trust • 30 hectares of apples (12 different varieties), producing approximately 1600 tonnes of export apples annually. These are exported to over 60 countries • Operation very dependent on a secure and reliable source of irrigation water
Mark Apatu, Apatu Farms Limited • 1126 hectares of vegetables grown annually, producing 55,000 tonne process vegetable crops - includes tomatoes, beetroot, carrots, sweet corn, squash, butternuts, and onions for both domestic and export markets • 166 hectares of vineyards producing 1.6 million litres of wine. Vineyards supply various wineries for both domestic and export markets • Water bans have a significant impact support need for survival water
Ricks Crasborn, Crasborn Group • Orchardist with over 1000 acres of pipfruit and stonefruit, employs over 800 people in peak season • Grows apples, pears, nectarines, peaches, plums and apricots for export and domestic supply • Water security and survival water are critical to my growing operations
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