Far North ma¯nuka could turn to gold
Researchers say they can see a time when more Northland farmers are producing highgrade ma¯nuka honey worth millions to the national economy.
Scientifically-bred ma¯nuka cultivars planted on a 130ha trial site at Tu¯tira, Hawke’s Bay, between 2011 and 2013 have produced their first crop of ma¯nuka honey with an average Unique Ma¯nuka Factor (UMF) value of 7. One sample reached medical grade by exceeding UMF 10.
The trial site is part of High Performance Ma¯ nuka Plantations, a Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) programme jointly funded by Ma¯nuka Research Partnership (NZ) Ltd (MRPL) and the Ministry for Primary Industries.
“We believe the Tu¯tira site’s results using scientifically-bred ma¯nuka cultivars will be of considerable commercial interest to farmers and other owners of large parcels of land across Northland,” said Ma¯nuka Farming New Zealand chief executive Stephen Lee.
“From starting out in 2011, our aim was to trial ma¯nuka cultivars at different sites and environments across the country, to see how they grew and if they’d produce medicalgrade ma¯nuka honey.
“We completed the harvest in December 2017, just at the end of the ma¯nuka flowering season, and achieved a yield of 10.1kg per hive with an average UMF value of 7. This honey met the MPI’s scientific definition for monofloral ma¯nuka honey.
“One sample reached medical grade straight from the hive [minimum UMF value of 10], while the others have the potential to achieve at least UMF 10 during storage.
“A second honey harvest was taken a few months after the ma¯nuka finished flowering. This was a multifloral honey. The combined value of the two harvests generated approximately $325 per hectare in gross income, shared by the land owner and beekeeper.”
The gross income from honey would increase with higher yields and quality as the ma¯nuka plantation grew to full maturity, he added.
Massey University research technician Maggie Olsen, who has been monitoring and managing the Tu¯tira site, said the results proved farming ma¯nuka for high-grade honey worked when the right cultivars were selected for the site and the site was well managed.
She emphasised the importance of good apiary practices and collaboration amongst land owners, plantation managers and beekeepers.
“It’s a proof of concept. We all knew it should work, but this is where it has all come together. We’re really stoked with the results,” she said.
Trial sites in Wanganui, Manawatu, the Bay of Plenty and Southland have been part of the evaluation programme. Over the last three years 2.3 million high-grade ma¯nuka seedlings have been established on commercial plantations covering more than 2000ha from Northland to Marlborough, and Taranaki to the East Coast.
Mr Lee said the characteristics of the sites varied, so it was critical that they were assessed for the right cultivars, and then designed and prepared to optimise survival, growth, and ultimately honey production.
“Ma¯nuka Farming New Zealand is well set up to do this for land owners,” he said, adding that it was important to take into account that the land used for ma¯nuka was often environmentally vulnerable, and the efforts and costs in generating income from other uses was often considerably more.
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council catchment services manager Campbell Leckie said the Tu¯tira results offered a sound solution to erosion on steep hill country, while at the same time generating a new revenue stream.
“Hill country in northern Hawke’s Bay is highly erodible, which means loss of productive soil and poorer water quality in streams and rivers,” he said.
“The ma¯nuka trial is groundbreaking for us. It takes an issue with the hills around Tu¯tira that is significantly affecting the lake and turns it into a production solution.”
The Tu¯tira plantation, which is still at its early establishment stage, currently has 96 commercial hives, with more likely to be added as its matures, adding to the commercial returns.
"We believe the Tu¯ tira site’s results using scientifically-bred ma¯ nuka cultivars will be of considerable commercial interest to farmers and other owners of large parcels of land across Northland."
Stephen Lee, Ma¯nuka Farming New Zealand chief executive