Wine grape growing area doubles in 12 years
THE area planted in wine grapes has soared 100 per cent in the last 12 years, Statistics New Zealand says.
Between 2002 and June 2014, land planted in grapes jumped from 17,300 to 34,130 hectares.
Statistics were also released for the area planted in apples, cherries, blackcurrants, avocados and kiwifruit in the same period.
Cherry, blackcurrant and avocado plantings increased slightly, from 550 to 610ha (cherries), 1310 to 1510ha (blackcurrants) and 3110 to 3880 (avocados). Apple plantings fell from 11,270ha to 8480ha, while kiwifruit increased slightly from 11,840ha to 12,170ha.
However, Pipfruit New Zealand business development manager Gary Jones said the statistics did not tell the full story about apples. Even though the area planted was smaller, more apples were being produced. This season growers would pick 550,000 tonnes of apples, the biggest crop since 2004.
Jones said 2002 coincided with the deregulation of the Apple and Pear Marketing Board, when grower numbers were falling because they were struggling to make ends meet. ‘‘There are now more varieties and much more production per hectare.’’
The World Apple Report rated New Zealand the highest productive region in the world, at 63 tonnes a hectare, while next-best Chile lagged at 41.3 tonnes.
New Zealand Winegrowers’ chief executive Philip Gregan said there had been a rapid increase in plantings between 2002-08, but then a hiatus until 2013, when plantings renewed.
The period 2009-12 had seen sales catch up with the areas planted. The main focus for plantings had been Marlborough over 2002-14, but the region would soon expand into its natural limit