Product Group >Stalks / Vines / Bulbs / Herbs
Overview
This Crop Advisory Group covers a variety of vegetable and herb production. Crops include: Artichokes, celeriac, celery, courgette, gherkins, marrows, melons, pumpkins, chokos, fennel, parsley, herbs, rhubarb, squash, and sweetcorn.
Annual sweetcorn production in New Zealand averages about 97,000 tonnes from a crop area of around 6,400 hectares. There are approximately 280 growers. In recent years the volume of sweetcorn grown for freezing and the fresh market has increased mainly due to the introduction of the super-sweet varieties. Major production areas are Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Marlborough, and Canterbury. Industry growth in recent years has been a result of the increased demand for organically produced sweetcorn for export. Crops are grown on contract for the processing companies. Exports of fresh sweetcorn were valued at $370,000 in 2006. Japan is the largest market accounting for 91% of exports.
Issues
The celery virus Potyvirus Apium virus Y (also known as Apium Virus Y, or ApVY) has been identified in a sample from a commercial celery crop in Wanganui, but the virus may have been present in New Zealand for some time without being detected.
Celery Mosaic virus (CeMV) has been reported in New Zealand in the past but this is the first confirmed report of ApVY in New Zealand. Both CeMV and ApVY are present in Australia, so this find is not expected to threaten exports to this market.
Aphids are believed to be the most significant cause of both CeMV and ApVY spread.
Statistics (2006)
Stalks / Vines / Bulbs / Herbs Overview
|
Sweetcorn |
Squash |
Pumpkin |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
110 |
197 |
100 |
|
Area planted |
1,800 hectares |
6,325 hectares |
1,093 hectares |
|
Production |
65,000 |
123,000 tonnes |
31,000 tonnes |
|
Exports |
$6.5 million |
$55,000 |
Source: Statistics New Zealand
