Northland iwi Te Uri o Hau opened the first stage of its new avocado orchard this week, aiming to produce world-class avocados.
Te Uri o Hau o Hau is hoping to tap into a market that’s worth $230 million a year to the New Zealand economy. It’s all part of a plan to continue to build up the economic base of the iwi.
The orchard is located just three minutes’ driving distance from Te Kopuru on the Pouto Peninsula on the west coast of Northland and covers 27 hectares. Although planting has only begun, staff have already planted 1,400 trees, with over 3,500 trees expected in the initial planting stages.
Te Uri o Hau trustee Anthony Thompson says the orchard is part of an overall strategy to entice tribal members back home.
“Our Te Uri o Hau hapū, coming back to the Kaipara and making sure we’ve got employment opportunities - it’s about lifting the equity of our hapū.”
“This project is really important and it’s the culmination of other projects that have come before it. Our forestry, our farms, our nursery, and now our botanical unit, or the avocado orchard.”
In the avocado industry, a steady supply of water is essential. Luckily for the iwi, the orchard is situated just metres from a 330 million cubic metre reservoir provided by the Te Taitokerau Water Trust, a group created in mid-2020 to initiate water storage and distribution schemes in two areas in Northland that have high-quality soils and therefore horticultural potential.
Te Uri o Hau chief executive Jonathon Rishworth, says there are big plans ahead, including expanding the output of the orchard from the initial 20 tonnes per year to 30 tonnes.
“This is a 27-hectare block and it will end up being about 20–21 canopy hectares of avocado.”
“This is a major step for Te Uri o Hau. We’ve been talking about moving into horticulture for years and to have this opportunity will have a huge impact on the future of Te Uri o Hau.”