New Zealand - Careers profiled at Otago Polytech Cromwell open day

An Open Day at the Otago Polytechnic Central Otago Campus (Cromwell) on 3 December will profile courses on offer and allow prospective students to explore areas of interest and the related links between qualifications and employment.

The kitchens and greenhouses at the Erris Street Cromwell venue will be open as will the horticulture and viticulture unit on Bannockburn Road.

The Central Otago campuses (Cromwell, Queenstown and Wanaka) offer several location specific courses such as stonemasonry, snowsports instruction, horticulture, viticulture and hospitality and cookery that take advantage of the rich natural resources of the area.

Central Otago Group Manager Jean Tilleyshort says the campus draws students and tutors from all over the world attracted by the enviable lifestyle, course excellence and flexible earn and learn dynamics.

2011 Young Horticulturist of the Year - Ben Smith

Ben Smith of Pukekohe is the 2011 Young Horticulturist of the Year. Twenty-nine-year-old Ben, who represented Horticulture NZ, received his award at a function in Auckland this evening (Thursday November 10th).

Ben is a grower manager for Status Produce at Tuakau, responsible for a 5 hectare greenhouse site growing ranges of speciality tomatoes for supermarkets, food service companies and for export.

Ben competed against five other finalists from around the country, who represented various areas of the horticulture industry and had reached the final by winning their respective sector competitions.

Over the last two days the finalists tested their expertise in a range of challenges including impressing the judges with their marketing, presentation and accounting skills.

New Zealand's Horticulture Industry Strategy: Growing a New Future

The key strategy highlights from the New Zealand horticulture industry’s strategic plan are:

• Industry revenue of NZ$10 billion by 2020 is achievable – if the large industry sectors increase their investment in intellectual property and all industry participants act now to achieve scale or proxies for scale.
• While the New Zealand market provides a solid foundation – industry growth will be export led.
• Science and technology innovations will enable greater value-add products and processes to be developed, commercialised and controlled from New Zealand.
• A unified New Zealand story developed in conjunction with Tourism New Zealand identifying our unique cultural and quality attributes creates a point of differentiation in markets.
• The industry needs to build on its past successes and continue to increase its competiveness and sustainability advantages.
• The Government needs to support the industry’s growth aspirations and align government departments activity.

Link to full strategy report:
http://www.hortnz.co.nz/users/Image/Downloads/PDFs/HortNZ%20Strategy%20Overview.pdf


Horticulture New Zealand Links:

• Homepage
• 2011 Annual Report
• Facts and Figures

Scientist's seven years of research stolen

New Zealand article soliciting help in the recovery of a stolen laptop, containing years of Botany research data. Read more>

CFC provides US$1,2m for horticultural projects

New Ziana.The Netherlands-based Common Fund for Commodities has so far made over US$1,2 million available to support mainly small-scale horticultural projects in Zimbabwe, an official last week.CFC managing director Ambassador Ali Mchumo told New Ziana the Fund began supporting horticultural projects in the country last year and was currently supporting 10 projects, among them the Cashel Valley in Manicaland and a number in Dotito. Read more>

Planting seeds of growth | Stuff.co.nz

Southern Woods Tree Nursery expects a return to revenue growth of 15 per cent to 20 per cent this year after a flatter 2008. Its seed-sourcing-to-plant business is in demand despite the recession. Under the ownership of Murray and Susy Mannall since 1997, the Templeton nursery is a $3 million-a-year company with growth helped by staff ideas and a new marketing emphasis. Read more>
Planting seeds of growth Stuff.co.nz Source: stuff.co.nz

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Big ambitions for the growing business

The horticulture industry aims to more than double in size to become a $10 billion business by 2020, and plans to use New Zealand's clean, green image to help it get there. Horticulture New Zealand says the industry is at a crossroads and has released a strategy for moving the sector away from growth driven by volume towards value-added products. Read more>

Change needed for horticulture to survive

Horticulture leaders have launched an industry strategy to double the sector's economic value to $10 billion over the next decade. The strategy was launched at the Horticulture New Zealand annual conference in Christchurch by the organisation's president, Andrew Fenton. The nation's horticulture industry - which earned $2.2 billion in the domestic market last year, and another $2 billion in exports - must grow if it is to survive, Fenton told the conference. Read more>

NZ: 2009 HortNZ board election results

NZ: 2009 HortNZ board election results
Andrew Fenton and Brian Gargiulo have been re-elected to the Board of Horticulture New Zealand, the organisation that represents the country’s 7,000 commercial fruit, vegetable, berryfruit and olive growers.

Read more:
NZ: 2009 HortNZ board election results

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MIT courses on horticulture this month

New Zealand
Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) is offering National Certificate Horticulture Level 2 courses at selected Manukau City Council community houses from July 20.

This is a joint initiative with the Manukau City Council aimed at bringing learning to the community.

“The courses will equip members of the community with key horticulture skills. Vegetable Growing will be available at Highland Park and Clover Park Community Houses to enable people to grow healthy vegetables and become more self-sufficient,” official sources said.

MIT will run its Soft Landscaping course at the Mangere Community House, teaching students to grow native plants, pruning techniques and selecting the best plants for landscaping.

These are full-time courses, running up to 18 weeks (four days a week) from 9 am to 3 pm and would cost $300 per course.

Enrolment is restricted to citizens and permanent residents.

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