Maori land boosts New Zealand’s horticultural growth

Kate Scott, CEO of HortNZ, said this increase is encouraging, especially as overall horticultural land in New Zealand is declining. One key goal of the Aotearoa Horticulture Action Plan is to grow high-value horticulture on Maori-owned land.

Maori land contributes a lot to New Zealand fruit production, producing $228.5 million worth in 2024. They own about 13 percent of kiwifruit land (around 2,100 hectares), occupying 10.5% of onion land, yielding $15.3 million in 2024, which was just $10.2 million in 2019.

Several Maori-led projects are underway where numerous fruits, such as apples, citrus, nuts, squash, potatoes, and vegetables, are being grown. However, special focus is given to the farming of avocados. This fruit is gaining popularity across the world due to its medicinal value, fetching handsome profits for farmers.

It is expected that currently, over 3,000 Maori work in the horticulture sector; they make up a total workforce of about 13% in the country. More than 753 hectares of their land have received support from the Provincial Growth Fund for horticultural development.

The involvement of Maori people has given a shot in the arm to the horticulture sector in New Zealand. The productivity of the crops has boosted a lot, strengthening the economic position of Maori people, offering economic and environmental benefits to them as well in the future.