Onion crop quality may be affected by floods; avocado harvest interrupted –
The quality of New Zealand’s most valuable vegetable export crop may be affected by the recent deluge.
Last Friday’s heavy downpour washed tonnes of onions off the Pukekohe fields where they were drying, and left others lying on soggy ground.
Onion exports are worth $150 million a year and exports to New Zealand’s main market, Europe, were set to ramp up this week.
Onions New Zealand chief executive James Kuperus said initial fears that volumes would be down had eased, and quality would be more of a factor. . .
Trading cows for kayaks – Wayne Parsons :
Callum Kingan treats milking and multisport much the same.
The North Otago dairy farmer is no stranger to pre-dawn starts and an intense daily workload — and that has prepared him well for a debut in New Zealand’s greatest multisport event.
Kingan (46) will next week compete in the two-day section of the 243km Coast to Coast, his debut delayed after Covid forced a cancellation of that part of the event last year.
Training for the great race has had to be intermittent from time to time as Kingan juggles kayaks and cows. . .
Physical, mental challenge of shearing for 24 hours – Shawn McAvinue:
Southland shearer Matt Hunt has ditched the booze and the pies and hit the gym as he prepares to shear sheep for 24 hours in West Otago this weekend. He talks to Shawn McAvinue about getting out of a dark place to be set for Shear 4 A Cause at Wohelo Station.
Southland shearer Matt Hunt is ready to realise a dream.
He will attempt to shear sheep for 24 hours over a 32-hour period at Wohelo Station in West Otago from 6am on Saturday.
“This is redemption.” . .
Otago shearers break own 24 hour goal – Ryan Boswell :
Five men have shorn thousands more sheep than they were anticipating at a fundraiser in Otago.
Shear 4 A Cause had set a target of 10,000 sheep over a 24 time frame, but the group exceeded it by 3000 sheep.
The men had a couple of breaks during the challenge.
Shearer Matt Hunt told 1News it was no easy feat. . .
New Prime Minister needs to halt new indicated extractive bans :
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has been asked to intervene following confirmation today that the Government plans to implement a ban on all extractive sector activities on the conservation estate.
Wayne Scott, CEO of the Aggregate and Quarry Association, says while the media coverage focuses on the possible effects of such a ban on mining and the West Coast, such a decision would have profound implications across New Zealand.
“If this new bill extends to all minerals covered under the Crown Minerals Act, it will end access to riverbank gravel deposits on land with little or no conservation values.”
Wayne Scott says Chris Hipkins should contemplate what that means for his Government’s plans for infrastructure and housing as well as its current efforts to support flood-ravaged regions. . .
New Zealand seeds exports worth $221 million :
The total value of New Zealand seed exports, in calendar year 2022, totalled $221m, 9% down on the previous year, according to data issued by Stats NZ this week.
New Zealand seeds were exported to over 70 countries in 2022.
The top five export markets by value were the Netherlands, Australia, USA, China and Germany. Together, they account for around 60% of total export sales.
Pasture seeds including ryegrass and clover seed, vegetable seeds . .
Homepaddock 