Embracing the bounty of harvest season

As the sun-kissed days of summer gradually succumb to the crisp, golden hues of autumn, a sense of anticipation permeates the air. For decades, the region has been synonymous with the cultivation of apples, pears, hops, vines, kiwifruit, and berries to name a few and it is during this magical time that the land generously bestows its bounty upon us.

Words: Amy Russ

From the rolling vineyards of the Waimea Plains stretching out to the orchard laden hillsides of Motueka, amidst the vibrant valleys and sun-drenched slopes, local farmers and growers diligently cultivate a vast array of crops ready to be gathered and savoured by those fortunate enough to call this region home. The fertile land has long provided ideal growing conditions for a diverse range of produce. German settlers in Upper Moutere were quick to recognise the region’s perfect sun-torain ratio, cultivating hops that are now acclaimed worldwide and fuelling a burgeoning craft beer scene. Meanwhile, the region’s enviable weather supports a thriving horticulture industry, with top-quality products not only destined for export but also enriching the local economy.

As the days grow shorter and the evenings cooler, the vineyards that dot the countryside come alive with activity. Grapes, heavy with the promise of fine wine, hang in lush clusters from their trellises, awaiting the skilled hands of vintners to carefully harvest them at the peak of ripeness. In the air, the sweet aroma of fermenting fruit mingles with the earthy scent of fallen leaves, signalling the beginning of the winemaking season – a time-honoured tradition that has thrived in Nelson Tasman for generations. Meanwhile, in the orchards that line the fertile region, apples, pears, and stone fruits ripen to perfection under the warm Nelson sun.

From crisp apples to delicious kiwifruit, each piece of fruit is a testament to the region’s rich growing heritage and the dedication of those who tend to its orchards. The harvest season is more than just a time of year – it is a celebration of nature’s bounty and a reminder of the profound connection between the land and its people. As the seasons change and the earth yields its treasures, there is no place quite like Nelson Tasman to experience the magic of the harvest where the finest products are created and distributed on both a local and international stage.

Fifth-generation grower, Brent McGlashen from Mac Hops has been involved in the sector for as long as he can remember and says despite the logistics of harvest season, it is a time he very much looks forward to. “It is great to see how the crops perform each year, the different profiles they develop and, as such, how we can best utilise them.” Compared to previous years, the yield is down, says Brent, due to dry weather. “The lack of national rainfall has shaped the crops. But our focus remains on providing top-notch high-quality products and making sure our customers are happy!”

Chair of Top of the South Rural Support Trust, Richard Kempthorne agrees with Brent’s comment. “Our growers are certainly proving their dedication to continue providing top quality products and do a great job of not letting challenges affect them!” But the dry weather this year has proved extremely difficult for some growers. “Those that are positioned on the Waimea Plains and have had access to water supply from the Waimea Dam are sitting a bit better than others. Some growers around the region have had to be very cautious with their selection of crops to irrigate due to the water restrictions. I have seen one of our largest suppliers of vegetables looking pretty desolate and having to make some tough calls as to what crops to save. The dam water started to be released from the reservoir just at the right time and this impacted some growers significantly.”

A notable difference for this harvest season is that labour supply is looking much better than in previous years. “Our regional Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme is working well and there are more people on working holidays that are taking up seasonal work.” The RSE scheme allows horticulture and viticulture industry employers to recruit overseas workers for seasonal work. “There are a bunch of regional growers who have RSE contracts and the workers from Vanuatu, Tonga and Samoa are very well supported within our region. We are not seeing the tight supplies this year, that we have previously struggled with,” Richard says. Looking to the future, Richard hopes to see the ability for steady growth within the sector.

Chris Drummond, the general manager of Motueka Wines, has grown up with the industry, with the family business being mainly in orchards before making the permanent move to becoming a winery in the early 2000s. Consistently adapting with the times has long been a strong point for the business and has put them in good stead over the years. Located in Brooklyn, Motueka, Chris says the award-winning winery is having a pretty good season so far and they now head into the next phase after harvesting.

“We have had perfect conditions this year, I believe we have never had a season like it. The two or three dumps of rain have been ideal, and the berries are clean and perfect!”

The Drummond family have grown everything from tobacco and kiwifruit to apples and pears since their ancestors first tilled the soil back in 1855. Now solely focused on grapes, and supplying both national and international markets, it is their dedication to providing the personal touch that Chris loves about the business.

“We do everything ourselves, we have our own harvester and trucks, a bottling line and cover everything right down to the distribution. Nothing is outsourced. We know our customers and have a connection with them, and they know that we take great care with our products.”

Over their 25 years in the winemaking business, the industry has seen some challenges but on a wider scale, Chris hopes to see more stable product numbers for the future. There are some big players that can influence the market he says.

“We try to work with changing markets and build solid relationships with our stockists to maintain a static price point. We have worked hard to create a trusted brand where people know they are getting a quality product.”

On the apple and pear front, national forecasts are looking good overall, according to the CEO of Apples and Pears NZ, Karen Morrish who estimates the national crop to be up 12 per cent on the 2022 crop total, a rebound from the 2023 crop total that suffered significant damage from Cyclone Gabrielle. Export volume is estimated at 21.2 million boxes, known in the industry as tray carton equivalents or 382,000 metric tonnes. The fruit is expected to have excellent size, colour, eating and flavour properties, and higher dry matter, which enables better storage of the fruit.

But current GDP (gross domestic product) does not give an accurate account of the true value these industries have to our region, says NRDA spokesperson Lesley McQue, “For example, major additional value comes when our manufacturing sector add value to the basic products by processing them into consumer goods like convenience foods and nutritional products. The wider Food Beverage and Wellness sector (consisting of primary producers like apple orchards, beef farms, hop growers, plus manufacturers like breweries (or Tasman Bay Food Group for example) delivered $629m of GDP (10% of total) and provided over 9,000 jobs (15% of total).”

Export figures are difficult to recite as goods are recorded at the port where they finally leave New Zealand, explains Leslie, not necessarily the regional port where they originated. “Thus a lot of Nelson Tasman exports are attributed to Tauranga or Ports of Auckland. Because of this, we use estimates prepared by Infometrics. They estimate that horticulture and fruit growing generated $338m of export value in 2022 (latest available figures) which was 21% of total exports – the single biggest category of exports for the region. This doesn’t include the wider food beverage and wellness products sector.”

As the region’s maritime gateway to the world, Port Nelson is a vital hub for economic activity and a key facilitator of our region’s continued growth and prosperity. According to a Port Nelson spokesperson, this year’s horticulture and fruit export forecast is looking good. Pip fruit and wine account for some of the region’s major export commodities and Nelson Tasman is the second-largest apple-growing region in the country, with approximately 28% of the total apple crop being grown here and exported around the world.

According to the latest Nelson Regional Development Agency (NRDA) statistics:

• Horticultural and fruit growing accounts for 23.8% of all exports from the Nelson Tasman region.
• The region accounts for over a tenth of the country’s exports, as a whole.
• Horticulture and Fruit Growing delivered $155m of GDP to Nelson Tasman in the year to March 2023.
• The industry provided 3,153 jobs which equals 5.2% of total regional jobs.