Horticulture
Feijoas under threat from crop-destroying moth
A feijoa grower has found the crop-destroying guava moth breeding in the plant's flowers, which damages the fruit's development.
Horticulture export earnings boom
A new report shows that the Horticulture Industry has had a 40 percent growth in export earnings in just two years.
Auckland school farm
A farm's been running at Mount Albert Grammar School in Auckland since 1932, and today teaches 160 students a year all about farming and horticulture. We visit the school farm and meet Larney Palmer… Audio, Gallery
Exports could be affected by horticulture worker shortage
New Zealand's exports could suffer if demand for horticulture workers isn't met, a primary industries training organisation says.
Young Grower of the Year
Andrew Hutchinson has become New Zealand's Young Grower of the Year. He believes there are huge opportunities for young people in horticulture. Audio
Willow pest moving on to new tasty delights
The potentially devastating giant willow aphid is moving to other hosts as well, including apple trees.
Big hopes for kiwifruit, pipfruit exports
Horticulture has boosted export revenue over the past year, prompting the Ministry for Primary Industries to predict a 3 percent rise.
Stonehurst Mushrooms
Kate Wendelgelst is a very patient woman. She'll be waiting years before she digs to see if the truffles she is expecting, grow. In the meantime, Kate's growing oyster, poplar and shitake mushrooms on… Audio, Gallery
Fourteen flies cost $15.7m to eradicate
It cost the government more than $1 million per insect to eradicate the Queensland fruit fly, a potentially devastating pest species, from Auckland.
Australia backpacker tax might drive workers to NZ
The Australian horticulture industry is worried that a new backpacker tax will drive most of their seasonal workers to New Zealand.
Seed Saving for Cyclones
Sant Kumar has a nursery in Nadi and has managed to protect his plants from two devastating cyclones. When word comes through that a cyclone is approaching, he unclips and folds away his shade cloth… Audio
Fiji - On The Land after Cyclone Winston
Horticulture consultant Kyle Stice says it will be many months before crops devastated by Cyclone Winston in Fiji are back in production. Audio
Yachtie's fine not enough - Hort NZ
A $3000 fine imposed on a visiting Australian yacht skipper who tried to bring fruit, vegetables and meat into the country will not act as a deterrent, the horticulture industry says.
Dairy aside, rural sector looking good this year
Gloom is predicted for the dairy industry but other primary industry sectors are in for a bright year, a Rabobank report says.
Growers on alert for typhoid among workers
Health and industry officials are reminding growers to be on the look-out for any symptoms of typhoid among harvest crews, especially those from countries where the disease was prevalent.
Shops guard against Tau fly threat
Biosecurity staff have checked grocery stores inside the restricted area in Auckland which a potential new pest was discovered, owners say.
Hunt for further pest flies continues
The tropical Tau fly is unlikely to be able to establish itself in New Zealand but, if it did, it could be a billion-dollar threat, Horticulture NZ says.
Barefeet and Avocados
Andreea Misescu grew up in an apartment in communist Romania surrounded by concrete. Now she spends her days tending lush avocado trees on her orchard in Katikati. Andreea, her husband Alin and two… Audio
Record numbers again for Zespri
Kiwifruit marketer and exporter Zespri has again hit record crop numbers for the 2015 kiwifruit season.
Protecting grape vines from leafroll virus
Researchers at Plant and Food Research are developing an array of visual and molecular tools to help combat leafroll virus in grape vines Audio