[Jason2112]

I'm hoping this thread will generate some discussion for entrepreneurs looking for opportunities in NZ - and for NZ folk who may be considering their employment options. So here goes:

How would I grow fruit/vegetables that may not be currently grown in NZ? My goal is to have a nice-sized piece of land to grow different varieties of citrus fruit (limes, oranges), peppers, berries, etc. I have a feeling the govt would quarantine my property if I didn't get some kind of approval beforehand?

Could I sell fruit/vegetables directly from my home? I like the idea of having a roadside stand or selling through a 'farmers market'. What kind of regulations would I be subject to?

Do I have to be a citizen to open my own business and receive a business loan? What is required?

[Voice]

Can't really help with most of your questions Jason, but I should tell you that citrus fruits (limes, lemons, mandarins and oranges etc) all grow very well here in Gisborne already, as do peppers and stuff like carob and feijoa.

To be honest you'd be hard pressed to find anything new to grow I think!

[veronica]

theres a couple of things like saffron and other specialist bits that are in short supply, Helen (Moorf ) is the one to ask on that. But as to opening your own business No you don't have to be a citizen, and there are farmers markets here and also individuals selling outside their market gardens. If you actually wanted a shop on the land then I should think it would require resource consent. As to business loans wouldn't have a clue except to say you would probabaly have to have a very good business plan to gt one. Best I can do on that one.

[Jason2112]

Can't really help with most of your questions Jason, but I should tell you that citrus fruits (limes, lemons, mandarins and oranges etc) all grow very well here in Gisborne already, as do peppers and stuff like carob and feijoa.

To be honest you'd be hard pressed to find anything new to grow I think!

Living near Mexico, I'm sure there are quite a few things that haven't made it to NZ just yet - and I'm not talking about Montezuma's Revenge ;)

[jubjub]

In our garden, we have an established mandarin tree, lemon tree, grapefruit tree & guava tree. We also have a 2 vines, and a young naval orange tree.

Hubby is currently raising chilli's, capsicums & water melons, and trying to grow avocado trees from the seed (I think that may take a while).

We ended up giving loads of the grapefruit away as there were literally hundreds on the tree. Not sure how you would go about selling stuff though, you do see "honesty boxes" outside houses, ie the person comes along,takes a few things out of the box you have put out there for the day, and leaves you what they think is fair $.

Bear in mind, all this stuff is just in a normal domestic garden....

[Moorf]

The Kiwi's are an inventive lot and quick to try their hand at anything, so you would be wise to check through horticultural/agricultural trial information about what is currently being tested and what has been tried and failed etc.

Many stones fruits and citrus fruits are well established crops, as are tubers/root vegetables etc. You might want to consider smaller gourmet crops such as chilli, ginger, lemongrass etc. Saffron seems to be the current "trend" and 2 producers have recently started up on the outskirts of Christchurch - this is VERY labour intensive work, but with prices at c. $16,000 / kg it's good money (but that's to be expected as you spend zillions of hours plucking the 3 stamens from each crocus flower across acres and acres just to get a few kg's!!) Wasabi is another crop which has been shown to be very successful in the South Island (needs cooler temps and running water so usually grown hydroponically to get the best prices / kg).

Don't, whatever you do, try and bring in any plants. They will be confiscated at the airport and burnt. Seeds "may" be allowed in but you need to check with MAF first otherwise you could find they are irradiated (sp?).

People do sell their own home-grown veggies on stalls outside their houses, with an honesty box for the cash (if left unattended) so I assume that is legal. Farmers markets are a haven for government officials - they are getting quite tight on how/where products are made etc etc - for instance, I was interested in making cheese etc but in order to pass the govt health / safety "rules" I would need to make it in a seperate kitchen from the one I'd use for my day to day family use! Although for cake stalls etc at fetes/fairs I believe this isn't the case.... so it pays to check. I'm in the process of checking through the Govt rules and regs at the moment to see what options are open to me for home-made/home-grown produce. We will have eggs to sell and I intend to put out an honesty box in the village.... that is if I have enough to sell once I've ploughed my way through them! :D

[Voice]

Agreeing with Moof here, I was going to say that MAF are very tough on the seeds etc that they will allow into the country, so you would be wise to discuss your plans with them well before attempting to put any of them into action. It'll save you a lot of time in the long run!

Good luck :)

[clg]

As someone used to things grown in/from Mexico, you can find just about anything here. Peppers, tomatilos, avocados. Limes are like those you get in the US, not those from the Yucatan. You would not have any problem getting things setup but you may find a problem finding something not grown that there is also a market for. White corn may be something to look into, you can't get it in masa form here.

Good luck!

Chris

[Bubbles]

Just for reference, here's a very good pdf all about growing Saffron in NZ for all you wannabe growers.

http://www.crop.cri.nz/home/products-services/publications/broadsheets/020Saffron.pdf

John

[Jason2112]

Thanks again for the replies. My goal was to buy a large chunk of land, build a primary house (for me) and a chateau in the back (for rent), and setup a working small farm (produce, poultry). The fruits and vegetables would be for myself, but it would be nice to be able to sell them for a little extra $.

One thing that I don't quite understand, I have read a lot of reports about food in NZ being on the bland side. If there is such a wide variety of fruits/vegetables/spices/etc, why is the food still considered bland?

[Moorf]

Hmmm bland, I for one don't find the food remotely bland here (coming from the UK). There's a HUGE variety of fruit and veg, seafood and meats. Perhaps by bland, they meant that the Kiwi's don't really go in for very spicy foods? Although even that is changing and you can certainly get hot Thai, Mexican, Indian etc in restaurants in the main towns and cities.

[Voice]

Hummm, no blandness of taste here either!

In fact I'd go as far as to say that the food in NZ has way more taste than that in the UK (although in fairness that's not a great challenge!) my children say that the oranges here "taste of the sun" and I think they've got it about right!

Actually we are spolit for choice fruit and veggie wise as it grows so well, I often come home to find a bag of lemons/oranges/avocados etc on the door step from a neighbour, it's lovely :)

[Smiler]

Nope no blandness here either. There are some food that are too salty/sweet (and I shan't mention the sausages) for us, but I'm doing a lot more cooking at home. :raebanana Brilliant

Loads of mex, thai, chinese, pacific rim, and decent new zealand food restaurants and we've found that all over the NI so far.
Fruit has flavour and so do the veggies, our tomatoes taste of the sun too. :clap My waistline is telling me how good the food is. :mad:
Deborah

[clg]

From a seasoning standpoint I think some foods here are a bit bland but I would say this is mostly more traditional foods and that seems to be the norm for anywhere. Quality of ingrediants is very good. Ethnic foods can be really good or a bit plain, depends on the place. Spice (hot) is used less often here, I have been going to a Malysian place for lunch and I need to ask them to make it hot. Once I do though its fine.

[sweetpea]

My goal was to buy a large chunk of land, build a primary house (for me) and a chateau in the back (for rent), and setup a working small farm (produce, poultry).

The buying a chunk of land might take a little doing. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think non-citizens are generally limited to buying parcels of 5 hectares (12 acres) or less? You might be able to get local permission to get around that, though.

[Charlosparky]

Moorf is right about the separate kitchen thing for business use, there was an article last month in the Whangarei Northern Advocate newspaper about MAF officials confiscating certain products from 13 stalls at a school fete, and the general local feeling there ( from what i read) was that the MAF was being a bit harsh :mad: , but i think you should check it out before selling/producing goods at home

[Jason2112]

The buying a chunk of land might take a little doing. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think non-citizens are generally limited to buying parcels of 5 hectares (12 acres) or less? You might be able to get local permission to get around that, though.

LOL, I was thinking 2-4 acres. What can I say, in Southern California most houses are built on 1/4 acre, so I don't have high expectations :)

[adamsat]

A good reference is http://www.cropsforsouthland.co.nz/

generally if a crop can be grown here there's someone, somewhere already trying it! Someone in work is even growing ginseng on their 10 acre block.

There are a few local laws about what you can keep and sell, but "farmgate" sales tend to have a few exemptions.

[veronica]

pretty sure you only have to be a resident to buy land, not a citizen.

[lisa]

I don't know if there are different rules in different parts of the country but we have bought 15 hectares with residency only. (We're north of Christchurch)

[Avalon]

"Bland" may be coming from the fact that so much food is over processed here. Its just a thought - but I do find a lot of meats especially taste like crap because of the processing it goes through (Ok - so it may have been my own fault for tring things like Corned Silverside - talk about eating plastic!)

The fresh, unprocessed food is not bland however. Im now buying most of my fruit and veges in roadside farmshops, which has always been my prefered way to buy. They are really very tasty.

[willsken]

LOL, I was thinking 2-4 acres. What can I say, in Southern California most houses are built on 1/4 acre, so I don't have high expectations :)


1/4 of an acre? You lucky thing! What I wouldn't give for that! Coming from the UK on my salary I have a postage stamp size garden :laugh