Bananas growing in the deep south
Global warming may be the biggest threat facing the planet but it’s also bringing unexpected opportunities for New Zealand.
Northland farmer Hugh Rose grows everything from pawpaw to sugar cane on his 40-hectare property near Whangarei but said there were increasing opportunities to grow tropical fruit in other regions.
Rose, who heads Tropical Fruit Growers of NZ, said bananas were an easy crop to grow, with New Zealand’s low disease and pest levels a bonus.
Although the fruit was usually associated with tropical climates on the equator, banana crops were popping up in surprising places, he said. ‘‘We have growers producing bananas in Invercargill, admittedly under tunnel shelter, but there are growers throughout Northland, Bay of Plenty, down to Gisborne all producing good crops.’’
The average Kiwi eats about 18 kilograms of imported bananas every year, with a total value of about $140 million, but the country could be producing more of its own, Rose said.
There was increasing consumer interest in New Zealand bananas which had fetched up to $8/kg through Whangarei’s farmers’ market.
‘‘And with the number of enthusiasts we now have on board, there should be enough bananas growing now for Northland to be self-sufficient in a couple of years.’’
Rose estimated a crop planted at 1500 plants per hectare could produce 15,000kg of bananas a year. Even at a conservative return of $2/kg, each hectare could return $30,000 a year.
The plants grew well in most soils, were tolerant of many pests and diseases, and the crop could also complement traditional pastoral farming like dairying, he said. ‘‘Dairy effluent is high in nitrogen and phosphate, exactly what bananas love, and the plant just sucks up those nutrients, making it an ideal crop alongside a dairy operation,’’ Rose said.
The crop was also a valuable source of cattle feed.
There was also potential for pineapples, coffee and a little known Peruvian fruit, lucuma, to be grown in New Zealand.