Mushroom grower eyes Takapau site
Council backs business after Havelock North facility mothballed
Central Hawke’s Bay District Council is welcoming a proposal from beleaguered Havelock North mushroom grower Te Mata Mushrooms to set up a facility near Takapau.
Te Mata Mushrooms is suspending production at its headquarters on the outskirts of Havelock North after 55 years at the site — with most of its workers set to lose their jobs.
In a statement last week Te Mata Mushrooms Ltd said it was “very disappointing that we need to close the facility” in Brookvale Rd.
“Staff will remain employed while final crops are picked and supplied to customers over a month to six weeks. Te Mata Mushrooms has 110 staff and over time this will be reduced to a skeleton staff of 10-15.”
A staff member, who did not want to be named, said “the whole thing is heartbreaking” and “there were a lot of tears“during the announcement to staff last Wednesday.
The company has received complaints in the past from nearby residents about bad odours — and was fined $15,000 in 2016 and $26,000 in 2018 over discharges of offensive odours. The company was long considered a rural site and hit back at a fine in 2016 that it labelled was the result of “urban creep”.
Te Mata Mushrooms Ltd chairman John Seton said in the statement that the 50-year-old Brookvale Rd facility was no longer fit for purpose under
“the current regulatory regime”, and with “the pressures caused by urban encroachment on established agricultural production”.
Te Mata Mushrooms was approved a loan of $19.5 million in 2020 including for construction of a new facility in Central Hawke’s Bay.
“Our future location is best placed to be in Central Hawke’s Bay, which will bring economic benefits to the area as well as new jobs for local people,” Seton said.
The company plans to build and open the new facility near Takapau. It is unclear when that new facility will be built, but a resource consent is now being processed and designs finalised.
“We still plan, however, to be back growing mushrooms on our Brookvale facility using compost made at Takapau.”
Central Hawke’s Bay District Mayor Alex Walker said the council is looking forward to Te Mata Mushrooms’ relocation of some of its facility from Havelock North to Takapau, while acknowledging the personal cost for workers, including some in Central Hawke’s Bay who stand to lose their jobs due to the move.
“Te Mata Mushrooms’ proposed investment in Tamatea — Central Hawke’s Bay supports our economic development objectives for the district, including a focus on land diversification, innovation and a shift from a volume to value economy,” said Mayor Walker.
“However, it’s really unfortunate to hear of job losses associated with this decision, and we’d encourage any affected Central Hawke’s Bay residents to get in contact with our local Mayors’ Taskforce for Jobs team.”
The Central Hawke’s Bay District Council had been supportive of Te Mata Mushrooms’ plans since first approached in 2019 and again in 2022, providing a letter of support alongside a commitment of funding from central government’s Kānoa — Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit.
The council also asked Te Mata Mushrooms to commit to a stepchange in its engagement with the Takapau community and Manawhenua, and to ensure the community is kept informed throughout the consenting process and development of their state-of-the-art facility in the district, quite different to their Havelock North premises.
“Our district and region are growing, and we’re always pleased to see new opportunities for our people. We’re delighted to see business identify Central Hawke’s Bay as a place they want to be,” said Mayor Walker.
“We also want to be sure we’re going through the right processes for our people, our land, and our environment, so we can take up key opportunities that will bring prosperity to our district.”
It’s really unfortunate to hear of job losses . . . and
we’d encourage any affected Central Hawke’s Bay residents to get in contact with our local Mayors’ Taskforce for
Jobs team
Affected employees in Central Hawke’s Bay needing support are encouraged to contact Central Hawke’s Bay Mayors Taskforce for Jobs team on 027 2063 020 or by emailing mtfj.employment@ chbdc.govt.nz
Mayor Alex Walker