HAWKE’S BAY APPLE AND PEAR INDUSTRY INJECTS ALMOST $1 BILLION TO REGION
New research reveals pipfruit export growth is outstripping national export growth
Today, we release the results of a recent study into the economic impact of our industry.
The Economic Contribution of the New Zealand Apples and Pear Industry 2024 tells a great story.
It reveals how our pipfruit industry contributes almost $2 billion of total revenue impact to the New Zealand economy, and what’s more, it shares how the value and contribution of our industry is growing.
At a regional level, this is equally true for Hawke’s Bay.
Hawke’s Bay’s apple and pear industry is the third highest contributor to the regional economy, injecting $991 million of total revenue impact into Hawke’s Bay, according to the research.
With 65 per cent of the nation’s apple and pear plantings, Hawke’s Bay’s pipfruit industry employs more than 6,000 people and makes up 77 per cent of the region’s horticulture revenue.
The report, conducted by MartinJenkins to reveal the economic contribution of the industry to national and regional economies, also found that the industry as a whole had grown its national export value from $347 million in 2012 to more than $892 million in 2023.
The growth in this export value has largely come from increased productivity, investment in high value varieties as well as the diversification of international markets, which means our sector is well placed to further align with the Government’s desire to double export value in 10 years.
However, while you might see a largely optimistic story in your local media, we know that this doesn’t reflect the difficulties the industry is facing.
We know that in the last two years, direct revenue growth has contracted to -0.5 per cent (from +8.2 percent between 2015-2020); we know that cyclone recovery is ongoing; and we know that conditions remain challenging across the board.
But this is exactly why we must use this report to showcase the value of the industry.
We are demonstrating what our industry can achieve when the conditions are.
We will use this new report to further encourage both local and central governments to recognise the value of the industry and work with us to ensure there is an operating environment that is conducive to growth.
With the right settings, the valuable role of our industry can be secured, and we can continue to produce the world’s best quality fruit right here in New Zealand.
So, while you might see a largely optimistic story in your local media, please know we see and recognise the difficulties, and will continue to advocate on your behalf to address these.
Discover key statistics here
