Massive rise in grape planting

The area planted in wine grapes has soared by 100 per cent in the last 12 years, according to Statistics New Zealand.

Between 2002 and June 2014, the area of 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 over 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 and kiwifruit plantings fell, apples from 11,270 to 8480ha, and kiwifruit from 11,840 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.

‘‘The industry has totally transformed after growers were lacking the right market signals,’’ Jones said. ‘‘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 the next best, Chile lagged behind at 41.3 tonnes a hectare.

Jones said half of trees were under 10 years old, as growers planted new varieties. He predicted there would be a 5 per cent increase in plantings this year and that there would be a record crop in two years.

The majority – 67 per cent – of the industry was based in Hawke’s Bay, while the next largest region was Nelson at 26 per cent.