New Zealand Treecrops Association

Information Exchange Mailroom

Information Request:

(From a non-member, a classic request: how would you answer?)

Hello
We are starting to look into horticultural crops, and want to find some
independent and unbiased answers to the following questions:
1. In NZ what horticultural crops are commercially worth considering, and
what regions do these crops grow well in. This should consider an
established supporting industry, established market, solid future prospects
etc.
2. For the crops identified above, do they stack up (i.e. better than 10%
return on investment) as an investment considering:
* Development costs
* The time it takes to reach production
* Ongoing costs
* Machinery costs
Do they still stack up if we are not living is the same region (i.e. we
contract out most of the work)
3. Is now a good time to purchase, or would we be buying at the peak.

We currently live in Christchurch, and our interest was sparked by some
properties we looked at in Tauranga. We are looking to move to Tauranga at
some stage, although this is not for certain.

Are you able to provide this information, or are you able to suggest
somewhere else that would. If you are able to provide this information,
what is the charge likely to be?

Many thanks. Michael. Sunday, 23 February 2003.

Replies Received:

Yours are the classic questions most of us want answered!

Those who have succeeded seem to have been early adopters of new crops working in breakaway groups to establish their industry in an unfriendly marketplace, or small growers who successfully identify a niche product and have the chutspa and perhaps a few key contacts to go it alone.

Consultants? In recent years this is what you called someone if you wanted to insult them...
Their may be some decent ones out there; have a look at the treecrops links page. Best of luck.

There are undeniably opportunities out there; some crop demand outstrips supply. No easy answers though.

Lewis. Tuesday, 25 February 2003

Replies on Similar topics

All this is available from Lincoln University, Hazel growers Assn., and The Chestnut Council.
Tree Crops has a fact sheet on both crops a few years old now, but still ok.
The are lots of people in the Assn. that know plenty about them.
Murray Redpath on Hazels.
Dr David Klinac on Chestnuts.
Roy Hart Monday, 26 May 2003

http://www.treecrops.org.nz/knowl/infothr/hort.html
Created: Sunday, 23 February 2003 - Updated: Monday, 26 May 2003 - Updated: 2007 July 11