Horticulture stories
New rules in the EU could leave New Zealand growers outbid in export markets unless Parliament loosens gene-editing restrictions soon.
Storm-hit growers in Hawke's Bay are spending on automation and cool stores to protect exports, cut bottlenecks and lift throughput.
Automation in New Zealand packhouses is opening up graduate careers and strengthening the horticulture sector's resilience against global shocks.
Lower rates and a firmer economy are set to lift leasing, sales and rents across New Zealand commercial property in 2026.
Housing targets could erode New Zealand’s food-producing base, as experts warn losing LUC3 land would lock in permanent damage to supply and exports.
Lower borrowing costs and expiring term deposits could lift demand for commercial and residential property as investors hunt better returns.
A new qualification could ease labour shortages in hydraulics and pneumatics by giving workers a recognised career path in New Zealand.
Growers face tighter spraying limits after New Zealand regulators imposed red-alert controls on chlorthal-dimethyl to protect public health.
Workers could face tighter protection from pesticide residues, as WorkSafe consults on new exclusion periods and updated guidance.
WorkSafe has backed a half-million-dollar safety overhaul after a kiwifruit worker lost a leg in a forklift incident.
A packhouse safety lapse left a teenage seasonal worker needing partial finger amputations, prompting a $225,000 fine for Clyde Orchards.
New research warns freight delays and higher consumer prices loom as New Zealand’s logistics worker gap is projected to quadruple by 2028.
The recent Government Wellbeing Budget provides much needed support that will drive higher paying jobs and new export revenues in the horticulture sector.
With injuries and labour shortages biting, wearable robotics are being trialled to cut strain, lift productivity and keep workers on the job.
New Zealand growers could face higher food costs and poorer water security if reform leaves storage projects harder to finance, IrrigationNZ says.
Higher compliance costs and rising interest rates have made rural buyers more cautious, with farm sales falling sharply in late 2022.
Vacancies are at multi-year lows nationwide as booming logistics demand and tight land supply push industrial rents and values higher.
Councils face tighter limits on rezoning fertile farmland for housing, as ministers say it is needed to safeguard New Zealand’s food supply.
UK workers exposed to pesticides face a higher risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to a study of nearly 100,000 people.
Sidekicker, an Australian staffing start-up, has appointed a new female-dominant leadership team amid internal promotions and new recruits.
