Berry good business ripe for the picking
ONE OF the North Island’s biggest blueberry orchards, complete with a mature avocado production operation, raspberry plantation and ripe prospects, will be auctioned on April 26.
The 6.2-hectare Tomo Orchard, at 97A Burnage Rd, Pukenui, near Houhora in the Far North, grows Sky Blue, Centra and O’Neal blueberries under 10,000 square metres of enclosed framed canopies and 8000sqm of covered netting.
Production has increased from 1177 trays in the 2016 season to 3210 trays in 2017 and 6250 trays in 2018, with 9200 trays tipped for next year.
The boutique orchard also has 2000 raspberry plants, which produce 600 kilograms annually, and a 346-tree avocado plantation.
Vinni Bhula, of Bayleys Kerikeri, says the productive horticultural business is at a ‘‘T-junction’’ stage in its life cycle, so a new owner could capitalise on different future revenue streams.
‘‘Dual exposure to two vastly different horticulture crops, and their respective management programmes and supply channels, means there are two vastly different future paths for Tomo Orchard.
‘‘The shelter-belt configuration of pine and bamboo presently segmenting the landholding means there is the capacity to increase either the berry production or the avocado production.
‘‘The business’s owners have plans for avocado expansion, but these plans are by no means set in concrete, so could just as easily be adapted to alternatively increasing the berry production.
‘‘That could be through increasing the existing blueberry or raspberry tonnage, or alternatively expanding into blackberries and strawberries, which both have similar growing dynamics to blueberries and raspberries.’’
Tomo Orchard sells its berry and avocado crops directly to Auckland retailers and supermarkets, and a small percentage to Pak ’n Save Kaita¯ ia.
Bhula says a new owner could continue with these arrangements, negotiate supply contracts with other wholesalers, retailers, or food manufacturers, or align production with The Fresh Berry Company of New Zealand, which wholesales fruit to the domestic food service and food manufacturing sectors.
He says avocado production has soared from 1782 trays in 2014/15 season to a forecast 3000 trays in 2019/2020.
‘‘However, with the avocado trees reaching the zenith of their economic lifecycle, a replacement plan is in place – with a pre-order of 1300 new avocado trees scheduled to be planted at a much higher density and efficiency.
‘‘These replacement trees are on a confirmed pre-order, and any purchaser of Tomo Orchard will have access to this stock should they wish to continue along that development strategy.’’
Bhula says there is a two-tothree year waiting list for avocado growth stock from approved nurseries.
‘‘The replanting programme as it currently stands will see the removal of some internal shelter belt hedge rows, followed by soil enhancement of the pan to improve drainage.
‘‘On the other hand, should any new owner wish to specialise in purely berry production, the land could then be replanted in berries rather than avocados.’’
The sale coincides with Tomo Orchard coming into the mature phase of its berry production cycle, with minimal cropping from the first three-to-four seasons.
Bhula says mature blueberry plants older than five years should harvest about 8.5 kilograms.
Blueberry plants typically require 25-50 millimetres of water a week for maximum ripening during the growing season.
Irrigation for Tomo Orchard’s growing tents is drawn from a ground bore, which has resource consent to extract 14,800 cubic metres annually.
All blueberries are graded and packed on site in a dedicated 54sqm packhouse.
Other buildings include a threebay implement shed, storage for agricultural chemicals, a six-metre coolstore, and a three-bedroom owner/manager’s home with a swimming pool.
The business also is being sold with the full inventory of orchard crop management equipment.
During berry harvesting season, the orchard employs up to six fulltime staff and up to two part-time workers.
❚ For more information, contact Vinni Bhula on 022 632 0630 or at vinni.bhula@bayleys.co.nz