SFF Futures projects: horticulture

Pūhā pesto and the resto

Project start: 30 November 2022
Project length: 2 years
MPI funding: $415,000
Industry funding: $96,000
Industry partner: Sunny Puha Limited Partnership
Region: Tasman

This project aims to establish a whānau-run food business that can scale-up the production of pūhā and develop up to 3 processed food products using cultivated pūhā. It will develop a comprehensive system for seed collection, propagation, growing, and harvesting pūhā.

Vineyard-scale monitoring of unproductive vines

Project start: 23 November 2022
Project length: 2 years
MPI funding: $534,333
Industry funding: $801,500
Industry partner: Cropsy Technologies Limited
Region: Marlborough

This project will develop real-time tools to help wine growers understand the health and productivity of every vine. Growers will be able to identify missing, dead, or unproductive vines and replace them, to optimise vineyard land use and productivity.

Multi-region pilot testing of urban farm growing of 'out of season' spray free strawberries

Project start: 31 October 2022
Project length: 2 years
MPI funding: $921,162
Industry funding: $1,381,743
Industry partner: 26 Seasons Limited
Region: Manawatū-Whanganui

This project seeks to determine the most cost-effective method to grow high yielding, out of season strawberries, in an urban environment using a controlled environment growing system.

Government media release: Hi-tech New Zealand strawberries on the horizon

Orchard digital twin system for orchard optimisation

Project start: 22 September 2022
Project length: 2 years
MPI funding: $44,680
Industry funding: $180,124
Industry partner: Fruit Minder Limited
Region: National

This project will develop an orchard growing software system with a database built around individual trees, called FruitMinder. With a focus on the cherry industry, it will create a metric on individual trees that will hold historical data. It will give growers tools to make informed decisions about labour input, sprays applied, soil compaction and emissions, and increase yield and productivity by giving them pre-harvest data.

Reducing fruit loss in Central Otago - Validating global demand for fruit value streams

Project start: 15 September 2022
Project length: 1 year
MPI funding: $21,750
Industry funding: $11,250
Industry partner: Central Otago District Council, LILO, Summerfruit New Zealand
Region: Otago

This project will quantify the global demand trends for selected fruit value streams. Data and insights will be made publicly available to help reduce fruit loss in Central Otago and attract premium prices for fruit that is currently grown but does not end up being sold or consumed by humans.

Greengrower

Project start: 24 July 2022
Project length: 4 years
MPI funding: $3,530,000
Industry funding: $5,295,000
Industry partner: Sustineri Limited
Region: Nationwide

This project aims to develop vertical farming facilities in a controlled environment. It will start with supporting elements of a commercial proof-of-concept facility in Hamilton, to supply retail and wholesale markets in the North and South Island. Sustineri, working with parent company Greengrower, seeks to demonstrate vertical farming systems’ potential as a long-term solution for low waste, sustainable farming practices and enhanced food security in New Zealand.

Greengrower Outcome Logic Model [PDF, 139 KB]

Vegetable production nitrogen management workshops

Project start: 20 July 2022
Project length: 12 months
MPI funding: $64,800
Industry funding: $43,199
Industry partner: Horticulture New Zealand – Vegetable Research & Innovation Board
Region: Nationwide

This project will build on the previously MPI-funded Future Proofing Vegetable Production project. It aims to develop a series of online workshops and demonstration tutorials covering nutrient management, calibrated fertiliser application, irrigation management and nutrient budgeting. The presentations will be posted online for vegetable growers and made available to the wider fresh vegetable production industry.

Electric horticulture sprayer

Project start: 30 July 2022
Project length: 1 year
MPI funding: $37,198
Industry funding: $55,797
Industry partner: Forest Lodge Orchard Ltd
Region: Otago

This project will fund the construction, testing, delivery and calibration of a fully electric spray unit to demonstrate spraying can be done completely electrically. This will help to demonstrate to farmers that electrification is financially beneficial.

Beyond Carbon Zero

Project start: 18 July 2022
Project length: 2 years
MPI funding: $707,360
Industry funding: $1,061,041
Industry partner: Hot Lime Labs Limited
Region: North Island

The project seeks to demonstrate the technical and commercial viability of utilising greenhouse waste and other green waste to create heat and renewable CO² for greenhouses as well as producing, using, and burying char. This process will create a circular ecosystem that turns hi-tech greenhouses into carbon negative hubs.

Creating best practice guidelines to reduce kiwifruit losses

Project start: 17 June 2022
Project length: 1 year
MPI funding: $78,000
Industry funding: $100,000
Industry partner: Mainland Kiwi Growers Entity Limited
Region: Nelson

This project will drive continuous improvement in kiwifruit quality and storage performance. It will create best practice guidelines for on-orchard practices, based on three seasons of data, with learnings adopted by Mainland Kiwi Growers Entity. It aims to reduce kiwifruit losses in storage from 4% to 2% for growers in the Nelson region within 2 years of the project completion. Guidelines will be provided to Zespri to share with growers in other regions in New Zealand as appropriate.

Katikati innovative horticulture project

Project start: 3 May 2022
Project length: 3 years
MPI funding: $144,000
Industry funding: $194,660
Industry partner: Katikati Innovative Horticulture Trust
Region: Bay of Plenty

This project aims to create a self-sustaining centre of excellence for horticultural training and education at Katikati College. Secondary school students, young people who are Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET) and people looking to change careers will be offered education and training opportunities and career pathways into the horticulture sector. This will support the growing need for skilled horticultural workers.

Botrytis disease management in tunnel house blueberries

Project start: 2 May 2022
Project length: 3 years
MPI funding: $87,500
Industry funding: $175,000
Industry partner: Berryco NZ Limited, Blueberry Growers group
Region: Bay of Plenty

This project seeks to obtain data on disease development, model key environmental factors and undertake trials on a range of management practices to develop a strategy for control of botrytis in tunnel house blueberries. The outcomes will be developed into a management strategy and shared to the industry through a series of field days and workshops.

Precision weeding with a Smart Waterjet Weeder, not chemicals or cultivation

Project start: 12 April 2022
Project length: 2 years
MPI funding: $140,000
Industry funding: $98,000
Industry partner: Lincoln Agritech Ltd, Waiata Vineyard, Cloudy Bay, Pernod Ricard, Indevin, Villa Maria, Yealands
Region: Nationwide

This project will introduce, test and adapt a new-to-New Zealand high-pressure Smart Waterjet Weeder. This will be used in New Zealand vineyards to control weeds in vine or tree rows. The trials will use a paired approach against conventional practices to benchmark any successes. If successful, the technology will provide an additional or replacement tool for weed control. It will also increase water use efficiency for vineyards and orchards across New Zealand.

Smart and Sustainable

Project start: 31 March 2022
Project length: 7 years
MPI funding: $7,448,000
Industry funding: $7,322,000
Industry partner: New Zealand Apples and Pears Incorporated
Region: Nationwide

This research programme will develop innovative solutions to reduce spray and agrichemical use in New Zealand’s apples and pears industry through new technologies, data, and information solutions.

Government media release: Spray-free target for New Zealand apples and pears to boost export growth

Best practice management of nitrates in process cropping

Project start: 1 March 2022
Project length: 2 years
MPI funding: $105,782
Industry funding: $86,548
Industry partner: Heinz-Watties, McCain Foods, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council
Region: Hawke’s Bay

The primary focus of this project is to validate test procedures and recommendations for management of nitrate in key New Zealand process crops. The trials will be run on commercial farms and will test the outcomes for crop production and soil nitrogen under different management practices. This will be used to develop best practice recommendations for the process vegetable industry.

Growing an almond opportunity! Feasibility of a New Zealand almond industry

Project start: 14 February 2022
Project length: 1 year
MPI funding: $67,000
Industry funding: $33,000
Industry partner: Central Hawke's Bay District Council, Plant and Food Research, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Wairoa District Council, Hastings District Council, Picot Productions Limited
Region: North Island

This project will investigate the feasibility of establishing a New Zealand almond industry. It will look at how to grow a premium quality product using sustainable agronomic practices. It will research optimised light utilisation for higher yields and quality, as well as lower water and nutrient footprint and integrated pest management approaches to reduce the use of synthetic crop protection compounds.

Media release: Almonds a new high-value nut to crack

Feasibility of growing hi-oleic peanuts on a commercial scale in Northland

Project start: 9 December 2021
Project length: 2 years
MPI funding: $698,750
Industry funding: $300,000
Industry partner: Northland Inc, Picot Productions, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, Plant and Food Research
Region: Northland

A previous SFF Futures project tested the feasibility of growing peanuts in Northland and demonstrated they can be grown there successfully. This project will build upon the initial findings to determine whether it is financially viable to plant, harvest, and process peanuts at scale in Northland.

Media release: Northland peanut industry dream one step closer

Future Orchard Planting Systems

Project start: 18 November 2021
Project length: 5 years
MPI funding: $1,650,000
Industry funding: $1,100,000
Industry partner: Plant & Food Research, New Zealand Apples and Pear Inc, Rockit Global, Summerfruit New Zealand
Region: Hawkes Bay, Nelson, Otago

The Future Orchard Planting System (FOPS) is a scientifically proven fruit tree growing system with potential to double yields of certain fruit varieties by growing trees in a planar structure and maximising light utilisation. This project will demonstrate the system’s viability on-orchard and support orchardists to transition to this new way of growing, including adopting new technologies. The project is expected to increase productivity and resource efficiency.

MPI funding for transition to Future Orchard Planting Systems - Plant & Food Research

Sauvignon Blanc Grapevine Improvement Programme

Project start: 18 November 2021
Project length: 7 years
MPI funding: $7,480,901
Industry funding: $11,221,351
Industry partner: New Zealand Winegrowers, Bragato Research Institute, more than 20 wineries, Viticulture Nursery Association
Region: Nationwide

This new grapevine improvement programme aims to introduce diversity into our Sauvignon Blanc vines, and ensure they continue to thrive in New Zealand conditions, using the novel ‘transposon mutation’ technique. This will help mitigate current and future climate, pest and disease-related threats through traits such as improved drought or frost tolerance, and improved resistance to fungal attacks. It will also provide potential new wine styles.

Government media release: Government backs programme to future-proof Sauvignon Blanc vines

Sauvignon Blanc Outcome Logic Model [PDF, 67 KB]

September 2022 – Sauvignon Blanc 2.0 progress report [PDF, 118 KB]

June 2022 – Sauvignon Blanc 2.0 progress report [PDF, 118 KB]

January to March 2022 – Sauvignon Blanc 2.0 progress report [PDF, 87 KB]

December 2021 – Sauvignon Blanc 2.0 progress report [PDF, 88 KB]

Development of an autonomous low emissions tractor for trellised orchard systems

Project start: 19 October 2021
Project length: 3 years
MPI funding: $622,360
Industry funding: $945,520
Industry partner: The Smart Machine Company Limited
Region: Hawkes Bay and Motueka

This project aims to develop a hybrid autonomous vehicle for multi-implement use, in a horticultural trellis system growing environment. The deployment of autonomous vehicles will address some of the increasing labour pressures and improve the sustainability and productivity of operational tasks. This project will take the learnings from successful testing in the vineyard environment to further develop and deploy the technology in the pip fruit market.

Media release: Driverless, low emissions tractor in development

Peria Horticultural Programme

Project start: 7 October 2021
Project length: 3 years
MPI funding: $1,120,000
Industry funding: $775,000
Industry partner: Te Waharoa Investments Limited
Region: Waikato

This horticultural programme utilises the vision of Wiremu Tamehana and the blueprint of Peria village to guide prosperous futures through a blend of Mātauranga Māori and Western science. It sets out to achieve environmental, social and economic outcomes that are culturally driven. The programme aims to inspire the rapid adoption of innovative and integrated thinking as foundational for horticultural success.

Government media release: Horticultural programme to provide new opportunities for Ngāti Hauā

Fortified plant-based meat snacks

Project start: 30 September 2021
Project length: 1 year
MPI funding: $205,829
Industry funding: $411,744
Industry partner: Off-Piste Limited
Region: Nationwide

This project aims to develop and launch New Zealand’s first plant-based meat snack brand. It will also investigate the viability of developing pea and faba bean protein concentrate growing and processing capability in New Zealand, with assistance from the Foundation for Arable Research and PwC.

Autonomous robotic asparagus harvester

Project start: 12 August 2021
Project length: 4 years
MPI funding: $2,600,000
Industry funding: $3,227,670
Industry partner: Robotics Plus Limited, New Zealand Asparagus Council
Region: Nationwide

This project will develop a commercial-scale autonomous robotic asparagus harvester, building on a prototype version developed by Waikato University researchers. The harvester will help address the ongoing labour shortages in the asparagus industry, and support New Zealand asparagus growers to tap into high-value export markets.

Government media release: Robotic asparagus harvester aimed at addressing industry challenges

August 2021 to October 2022: Autonomous robotic asparagus harvester progress report [PDF, 185 KB]

Product development, added value products, truffle inoculation

Project start: 11 July 2021
Project length: 3 years
MPI funding: $155,200
Industry funding: $223,200
Industry partner: Ohiwa Black Diamonds Truffles
Region: Bay of Plenty

This project aims to research and develop new truffle products that incorporate the health benefits of truffles with traditional Māori rongoā (healing). It will test the viability of inoculated seedlings and provide the viable ones to truffle growers. The project will offer workshops and land assessments to build the capability of Māori landowners who want to grow truffles.

Owners of unproductive land encouraged to grow 'black diamonds'

Karioi – reconnecting our whānau to their whenua

Project start: 5 July 2021
Project length: 2 years
MPI funding: $503,000
Industry funding: $480,800
Industry partner: Wakatū Incorporation
Region: Nationwide

This project will explore whānau-led revitalisation of indigenous food systems and knowledge. A series of wānanga will apply tikanga-led regenerative practices to pilot indigenous crops. The pilot will grow local resilience and food sovereignty, reconnect whānau to whenua, and build data, evidence and knowledge on the impact of tikanga-led practices on soils, water and crops. It will test the market appetite for this unique provenance story.

Transforming the New Zealand onion industry from humble to hero

Project start: 1 July 2021
Project length: 6 years
MPI funding: $2,830,000
Industry funding: $3,194,380
Industry partner: Onions New Zealand Inc
Region: Nationwide

This industry-led transformation programme has three major themes of work designed to redesign the status quo of the New Zealand onion industry exports. Overall, the project will boost the market position of New Zealand onions globally through market and consumer research, market diversification, developing market assurances, and identifying and promoting value attributes.

Government media release: 'Humble' onion to undergo extreme makeover

What’s coming out of tile drains?

Project start: 31 May 2021
Project length: 3 years 10 months
MPI funding: $1,338,334
Industry funding: $436,820
Industry partner: AgFirst Consultants Ltd, New Zealand Apples and Pears Inc, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Zespri International Ltd, Vegetable Research and Innovation Fund, Horticulture New Zealand, Hawke’s Bay Fruitgrowers Association, Hawke’s Bay Vegetable Growers Association, Heinz Wattie’s Ltd, Bayley’s Produce
Region: Nationwide

The horticulture sector wants to understand and mitigate their impact on waterways. Tile drainage systems are common under high value horticultural properties. This project seeks to increase understanding of what impact tile drains are having on water quality, positive or negative, and how horticultural land management may be able to improve this.

Media release: Horticulture sector to investigate impact of tile drains on water quality

Cedenco – Trade waste disinfection

Project start: 12 May 2021
Project length: 16 months
MPI funding: $53,839
Industry funding: $103,647
Industry partner: Cedenco Foods New Zealand Ltd
Region: Gisborne

This project will research the sustainable treatment of wastewater coming from the Cedenco Foods factory in Gisborne. It will explore innovative UV treatment as a cost effective and environmentally friendly alternative to biological treatments or traditional chlorination that produces hazardous by-products. It will also explore opportunities for re-using water within the factory or for irrigation throughout the region.

Sustainable produce farming

Project start: 30 April 2021
Project length: 2.5 Years
MPI funding: $869,716
Industry funding: $1,286,500
Industry partner: Southern Fresh Foods
Region: Waikato

This pilot project will trial various growing methods for leafy salad vegetables and herbs using an advanced greenhouse cropping system, with the aim of providing year-round production. The system has the potential to become New Zealand’s leading standard in sustainability, food safety and economic viability, while creating measurable solutions for New Zealand’s increasing environmental challenges.

Government media release: 100 percent crop yield target for new indoor growing tech

Understanding the opportunity for avocados in Northland

Project start: 30 April 2021
Project length: 2 years
MPI funding: $176,700
Industry funding: $118,300
Industry partner: NZ Avocado
Region: Northland

This project is a co-ordinated feasibility study of what is needed to optimise the growth of volume, value, and visibility of avocados in Northland. The study will look at land, water, labour, and infrastructure. It will highlight the current state of the local industry, and determine what is required for optimal future development.

Miro – Transforming Māori land to high-value horticulture

Project start: 1 April 2021
Project length: 5 Years
MPI funding: $1,600,000
Industry funding: $2,400,000
Industry partner: Miro
Region: Bay of Plenty

This project aims to help Māori landowners and growers establish and operate protected berry cropping systems, transitioning 310 hectares of under-utilised Māori-owned land into high-value horticulture.

Proof of concept for a Novel biostimulant / biofertiliser formulation

Project start: 21 January 2021
Project length: 3 Years
MPI funding: $792,000
Industry funding: $1,188,000
Industry partner: Biocell Corporation Limited
Region: Nationwide

This project will develop a proof of concept of a novel biofertiliser formulation in field trials across a wide range of farming and horticultural activities. It aims to substantially reduce or eliminate the need for chemical nitrogen fertilisers.

Ensuring PremA17/Smitten® reaches its full potential

Project start: 18 January 2021
Project length: 3 years
MPI funding: $29,298
Industry funding: $48,150
Industry partner: Seventeen Limited
Region: Hawke’s Bay, Nelson, nationwide

This project will develop pre- and post-handling protocols to reduce the incidence of internal browning in PremA17 ("Smitten®") apples when exposed to warmer climates such as found in Asia.

Feasibility study of the economic validity of nutrient extraction from non-commercial grade potatoes and kumara

Project start: 23 December 2020
Project length: 6 months
MPI funding: $79,600
Industry funding: $352,038
Industry partner: Powered by Plants Ltd
Region: Nationwide

This project aims to establish an economic way of using 'out-of-grade' potatoes and kumara, by developing higher value ingredients such as protein and starch. It will provide a business case that proposes new ways to use these ingredients.

The good bugs - enhancing pollination and natural enemies in New Zealand

Project start: 14 September 2020
Project length: 3 years
MPI funding: $160,000
Industry funding: $240,004
Industry partners: Gourmet Waiuku Limited
Region: Auckland

Natural enemies and bumble bee pollinators are key to the success of sustainable protected horticulture in New Zealand. This project is developing a new product from an indigenous beneficial mite, as well as enhancing the performance of bumblebee hives through innovative methods.

New research aims to increase longevity of bumblebee hives for NZ growers

Video – Bumblebee pollination – Rural Delivery

A Lighter Touch

Project start: 1 April 2020
Project length: 7 years
MPI funding: $10,829,339
Industry funding: $16,243,877
Industry partner: Horticulture New Zealand, with affiliated programme participants
Region: Nationwide

‘A Lighter Touch’ brings the horticulture, wine, and arable sectors together to find ways to meet consumer demands for food produced through more sustainable pest management practices. It seeks to shift the focus away from traditional crop protection, and integrate biological and ecological processes into food production in New Zealand.

Media release: Flowering plants may hold key to pesticide reduction on citrus orchards