Presidents Report

We are halfway through the year already. Everything is about to gear up with summer fruit is already starting to move in some areas. Apple growers have also begun to apply early dormancy breaker sprays.

Before we know it we will be in full swing as another growing season begins.

It is always a difficult time for our industry when the recent news came out that a couple of prominent local orchard operations had to enter voluntary administration and liquidation.

This is never good, especially because of the impacts on people, local families, hard-working orchard teams and of course the effects on the fruit growing industry.

The wider industry has come around in support of the employees from these companies.                                                                                                        Recently an open day was held where the employees from these companies were invited to attend. MSD led this initiative with NZ Apples and Pears, Hawkes Bay Fruit Growers Association and the East Coast Rural Support Trust, all there to support our industry colleagues. We had over 60 people attend. The result of this is that over 20 people have taken up new employment, with many more employer connections being facilitated. Our industry has a long history of looking out for one another and our focus remains on supporting the affected workers and families. HBFA are always here for our fruit growing sector – please get in touch if you would like to talk.

I recently attended the NZAPI EXPO 2026 in Queenstown. Always a great time to network with different growers from around the country. A major highlight of the NZAPI Awards Dinner at the Millennium Hotel was keynote speaker Dan Henry, the iconic voice and producer behind Hyundai Country Calendar. Dan shared real stories of rural New Zealand, connecting storytelling to our own everyday orchard realities.

Mel Ewers, from Nelson, received the Outstanding Contribution Award for her 50 + years of quiet leadership, dedication to compliance training, and steadfast mentorship across the sector.

“I’m currently at the combined Horticulture and RSE conference in Wellington.     There are around 800 growers, employers, and industry leaders here to attend some excellent workshops with a great line up of speakers.

Up-date on TANK

There have been a few delays in the process as HBRC has asked for more time to consider TANK with the current reform process.

There is now a move toward the next phase which has included looking at what points each party is closer on, and points that are more challenging with parties’ positions.

Most of the Horticulture points fall into the latter. The next stage will see discussion on points where positions are closer.

We will wait to see what the next steps are on our points. And if the government reforms will have any impact.

Up-coming events include the National Young grower final being held in Cromwell in a months’ time. Maddi Sherridan from T&G Global will be representing us.

Also, a heads up (nice and early) Our AGM will be held on Wednesday 23^rd September so be sure to put this in your calendars

Ngā mihi nui,

Brydon Nisbet

President
Hawke’s Bay Fruitgrowers’ Association

Heretaunga Sustainable Water is holding a meeting on Thursday 30^th July at the Havelock North Function Centre. It will kick off at 4pm and (as well as incorporating the groups AGM) will provide updates on the work the group has been involved in over the last year. Members and anyone who is interested in becoming a member is encouraged to attend to find out what the group has been doing to try and improve water security on the Heretaunga Plains

Optimising Chemical Thinning: Removing Some of the Magic Arts

Every spring I end up having the same conversation with growers: “Why did thinning work so well in one block and not another?” Or, “The weather looked right, the chemistry was the same—what went wrong?”

The reality is that chemical thinning is often treated as a bit of a magic art. Yet when we step back and analyse the blocks that consistently achieve good crop loads, fruit size and profitability, a pattern emerges. The best outcomes are rarely the result of luck. They are the product of planning, measurement and execution. The more information we collect and use, the less guesswork (magic art) is involved.

Before discussing thinning chemistry, growers need to define what success looks like for each block. That target will vary depending on variety, fruit size requirements, canopy capacity, site limitations and hand-thinning budgets. A crop load that is profitable in one block may be completely wrong for another. The objective is to identify the crop load that delivers maximum return at the desired fruit size and quality.

Once a target is established, everything else should work backwards from it, pruning, flowering assessments, thinning strategy and eventually hand thinning.

One of the biggest opportunities I see is making better use of information growers already have. Review previous seasons and ask:

• Did crop loads finish where they were intended?
• Did fruit size and quality meet expectations?
• What flowering and pollination conditions occurred?
• What chemistry was used and under what conditions?
• How much hand thinning was required afterwards?

Historical data helps identify what worked, what did not, and where changes need to be made. Too often thinning programmes are repeated year after year without considering whether the previous result actually matched the target.

Chemical thinning outcomes are largely influenced by four interacting factors:

1. The Target –Tree age, vigour, canopy balance, crop pressure and pollination strength all influence how aggressively a block can be thinned.
2. The Chemistry – Product choice, rates, surfactants, water volumes and timing all matter. Understanding how each product works and recognising the conditions it needs to perform is critical.
3. The Weather – Temperature, humidity, rainfall, frost risk, sunshine and carbohydrate status can dramatically alter outcomes. Weather frequently determines whether an application succeeds or disappoints.
4. The Application – Even the best thinning plan can be compromised by poor application. Sprayer calibration, water quality, nozzle selection, coverage consistency and target zones all influence performance.

When thinning results are poor, the answer often lies somewhere within these four areas.

One of the key messages from our work is not to overcomplicate the process. If a programme is consistently delivering good results, do not change it simply for the sake of change. Instead, focus on understanding why it works. Standardise rates, water volumes, surfactants and application methods wherever possible.

Perhaps most importantly, target optimum weather over optimum growth stage. A perfectly timed application applied in poor conditions is often less effective than a slightly later application applied under ideal conditions.

To me, the best chemical thinning you can do is the have boots on the ground. No model or forecast replaces regular orchard observation. The most successful growers are constantly checking blocks, monitoring progress and adjusting plans when conditions change. Chemical thinning should not be a “set and forget” exercise. The orchard is providing feedback every day, it is up to us to listen to it.

Take-Home Message

Crop load remains one of the biggest drivers of orchard profitability. The ability to manipulate crop load early and accurately influences fruit size, quality, labour requirements and ultimately financial returns.

The more disciplined we become around planning, measurement and execution, the less chemical thinning feels like a magic art, and the more it becomes a repeatable management process that consistently delivers profitable outcomes.

Jack Wilson

We’ve had contrary weather of late.  March was very dry, April very wet, May was very dry and now June was wet. The first month of winter brought ample rain, 123% of the month’s average. Northern areas especially received a large share, while the Heretaunga Plains was the one area that fell short of average June rainfall. It could potentially end July having had three consecutive months of below normal rainfall. 

 The month’s rain helped river flows reach near normal June levels, similarly groundwater levels.  Soil moisture levels across the region tracked near or above median levels for the time of year.  Air temperatures in June were impressive, with daytime temperatures 1.5 °C warmer than average and overnight temperatures a mighty 2°C warmer.

 El Niño conditions have established and a very strong event seems likely. Some of the past very strong events, such as the 1982-1983 and 1997-1998 events, didn’t turn out well for the region.  They brought significant droughts.  El Niño events can play out quite differently so it’s not guaranteed that extremely dry conditions will eventuate on this occasion but it’s wise to be prepared in case.   One countering feature is that sea temperatures have been relatively warm around the country.  The region’s dry spells are more associated with colder seas.

 The predicted pressure pattern for the next three months suggests a westerly flow will dominate. It’s to be expected in El Niño conditions.  The pattern has higher than normal pressure west and north of New Zealand and below normal to the south and northeast.  Rainfall forecasts suggest we could be short of rain over the period, while temperatures remain near or above average.  On the bright side, the region’s water resources are in a pretty good state, for now at least, as we face the possibility of drier weather.

RMA update:

HortNZ is aware that a number of growers who lodged replacement water take applications last year (or early this year) for consents that expired on 31 May 2026 have recently received emails from HBRC asking them how they want to proceed with their consent applications. Many of these growers are in the Pakowhai area, or take water from the Tutaekuri-Waimate Stream.

We understand there are a number of slightly different emails from the regional council, depending on what has happened in each consent process to date, which is really confusing. We don’t want to add to the confusion by trying to explain things again in a slightly different way, but instead ask people to get in touch with Charlotte Drury on if they want to discuss what might be best in their particular situation

Also please be aware that if you do decide you want to withdraw your application, HBRC is requiring people to fill in a form to complete that process. Here is a link to it: Application-Form-Surrender-Withdrawal-V01-0326.pdf

You should be able to fill it in online, and then you can email your completed form to the consent advisor at consentadvisor@hbrc.govt.nz

Any questions, get in touch with Charlotte Drury (027 3225595 or Charlotte.Drury@hortnz.co.nz)

A bud to fruit ratio is the number of fruit buds in a tree relative to the target number of harvested fruit. Fruit bud numbers directly correlate to the number of floral sites expected in spring and can be used to manipulate vigour status and fruit size outcomes.  If not pruning to a target bud number, an understanding of the post prune bud count can guide chemical thinning decisions (how hard they need to go, and the level of floral stress the tree may already be under at flowering).

Bud density and quality are driven by light, varietal tendencies and branch texture.  It’s about having the right wood, and good light capture through the tree. Getting to this point without compromising yields may be a 3 to 5 year journey.

As a tree matures and settles, bud numbers tend to increase, particularly in spur varieties. In the spring, flowers acts as a carbohydrate sink when the plant is not photosynthesising, drawing solely on reserves. With a high bud to fruit ratio, the floral stress induces an ethylene spike, resulting in the plant prioritising ‘survival’ over fruit set and influences spring carbohydrate efficiencies.  This can help with vigour reduction strategies.

Running a low bud to fruit ratio is a well-utilised strategy in young canopies prioritising growth, or when trying to get a jump on fruit size in spring, particularly in a settled canopy.

There is no hard and fast rule, and not all fruit buds are equal.

Best practice winter bud monitoring includes:

Fruit bud counts: Count all fruit buds regardless of size and shape, including spurs and terminal buds on darts and bourse shoots. For tip-bearing varieties, don’t be tempted to count one-year buds. These are treated as ‘bonus flower’ due to their lower reliability and typically do not produce the highest quality fruit within the tree.

Most growers count buds as a tree average to understand the overall floral load, however splitting the tree into zones allows growers to target buds in specific parts of the tree. Where are the quality buds located and where can we target detail pruning? In a 2D system this could be the target number of buds per wire; in a spindle tree, this could be splitting the tree into bottom, middle and tops. When quantified, this helps refine pruning instructions with confidence that the target cropload will still be achieved.

The budload in the attached photo shows a settled tree with a very high bud density in the tops.

Fruit bud floral capacity assessments: Fruit buds are sampled pre-pruning and assessed under the microscope to determine their floral potential. This is a best-practice winter pruning

metric, helpful on blocks where floral capacity is unknown or on biennial varieties, particularly in an off year. This allows growers to dial their bud to fruit ratio up or down.

Used well, bud to fruit ratios help growers align pruning, thinning and crop load decisions early, giving blocks the best chance of achieving the desired vigour status, target fruit numbers, fruit size and quality.

Meg Becker

The promised El Niño event is here and May’s rainfall could be the sorry theme in the months ahead.  The region’s May total was well below normal, only 34%, while the Heretaunga Plains, Ruataniwha Plains and Ruahine Range had a lowly 18-20%. River flows were below average but groundwater levels were normal as April’s more ample rain filtered through.  Air temperatures were near average, so too soil moisture.  Sea temperatures around New Zealand have been above average.

El Niño conditions mean west to southwest winds will feature strongly in the months ahead and the predicted sea level pressure pattern reflects this.  Higher than normal pressure extends across Australia and much of New Zealand.  Lower than average pressure is expected to lie south of the country and to the northeast.  The outlook for rain isn’t rosy due to our western ranges blocking a lot of the westerly rain.  June rainfall totals so far haven’t been great, though rain is likely during the last week of the month. The July to September forecasts paint a picture of drier weather and temperatures near average.  Indications are that it will be a strong El Niño event and accompanied by a positive Indian Ocean Dipole in spring.  While these events can be unique in their impacts on the region, together they don’t signal good prospects of rain over spring and summer.

Presidents report June

Future Leaders Shine at 2026 Hawke’s Bay Young Fruit Grower Competition

The future of Hawke’s Bay horticulture is in good hands. Last week, the region’s premier horticultural talent gathered for the 22nd annual Hawke’s Bay Young Fruit Grower of the Year competition. Held over two action-packed days (18–19 June), eight outstanding contestants under the age of 30 went head-to-head to showcase their technical knowledge, operational skills and leadership capabilities.   Contestants representing Mr Apple, T&G Global, Ceed, Taylor Corp, Apatu Farms, and Craigmore were tested on their practical and theoretical knowledge of horticulture.  The following day, they come together to form the Leadership Panel. This part of the competition tested communication and strategic thinking under pressure. Each contestant delivered a two-minute speech on a given topic and then answered an impromptu, industry-relevant question asked by the facilitator. The floor was then opened to the audience for further questions.

The Gala Dinner

The competition ended with the HBFA Awards Gala Dinner at the Toitoi events centre. Around 250 industry leaders, sponsors, supporters, and dignitaries packed the room to celebrate the finale of the competition.   The main event of the night was the speech contest, which was the final test for the competitors. Contestants gave a three-minute speech on a specific industry topic they had prepared for in advance. They were judged on their public speaking ability, content, presentation, and delivery. The night concluded with the announcement of all the station winners, leading into the crowning of the overall Hawke’s Bay Young Fruit Grower of the Year.

🏆 1st Place Overall: Maddi Sheridan:  Quality and Compliance Manager of Growing at T&G Global.

🥈 2nd Place: Joseph Stenberg:  Block Lead/Assistant Manager at T&G Global.

🥉 3rd Place (Historic Tie): For the first time in the competition’s history, third place was shared jointly by Saffron Riley (Mr Apple’s Brookfields Orchard) and William Horsefield (Orchard Foreman at Ceed)

A big shout out to the remaining contestants Mikayla Franklin (Craigmore), Mary Arkell (Taylor Corp), Georgia McKinnon (T&G Global), and Maicha Slade (Apatu Farms).

By claiming the regional title, Maddi Sheridan goes on to represent Hawke’s Bay at the National – Horticulture New Zealand Young Grower of the Year Grand Final. She will go up against all the other regional winners in Cromwell on 27–28 August 2026.

Hawke’s Bay’s is positioned as a region that invests into young emerging talent. This strength is highlighted by the fact that every winner of the National Ahuwhenua Young Māori Grower Award has come from our region. Hawke’s Bay orchard supervisor Te Rina Joe (Ngāti Pāhauwera, Ngāti Kahungunu) was named the winner of the 2026 Ahuwhenua Young Māori Grower Award last month in Whangārei – recognising her outstanding achievements and leadership in New Zealand’s horticulture sector. I was up there attending the event and was extremely proud to see Te Rina win the award.

As all our regions young growers’ step into the future, our sector can be rest assured that Hawke’s Bay’s future is in good hands.

A massive thank you goes out to Bex from Planit events and all the executives from the Hawke’s Bay Fruitgrowers’ Association who give of their time and resources throughout the year for the good of our industry. A thankyou to all our sponsors who contribute so generously to our events making it possible to put on.

Ngā mihi nui,

Brydon Nisbet

President Hawkes Bay Fruit Growers Association

President’s Report – May 2026

 With the last of the apple bins now in, the 2026 harvest is officially over for another year.

While picking has finished, post-harvest operations are still under way, including packing, cool storage, and exporting. Shipping logistics and container movements through Napier Port have been flowing well, helping us move our premium fruit efficiently to global markets. A major highlight this season is the newly signed NZ–India Free Trade Agreement. The reduction in apple tariffs from 50% to 25% gives our industry a significant commercial opportunity in a market of 1.4 billion people during our peak export window. This is very positive news for growers and exporters alike.

My sincere thanks go to all orchard crews, shed managers, and packhouse teams for their hard work throughout the season.

 Standing with Our Vegetable Growers: The McCain Plant Closure

On a more serious note, our region is facing a significant challenge following the sudden announcement by Wattie’s and McCain Foods to close their Hastings processing plants. This decision directly affects more than 100 local growers and places our regional vegetable processing capability at serious risk.

We stand alongside Central Hawke’s Bay Mayor Will Foley and Hastings Mayor Wendy Schollum, and believe that government should agree to and support an independent, grower-led feasibility study on the viability of keeping the plant open. We stand firmly in solidarity with our affected vegetable-growing peers during this uncertain time. Food security has always been solid a given in NZ, and we need to make sure we protect our land and growers.

HortNZ is calling for nominations for the 2026 Horticulture Industry Awards.

The awards span six categories and celebrate excellence, leadership, service and innovation across the breadth of our sector.

Nominations are invited for six award categories:

• Horticulture Bledisloe Cup
• Horticulture New Zealand President’s Trophy
• Horticulture New Zealand Life Member
• Industry Service Award
• Sustainable Innovation Award
• Manaaki Award

To make a nomination, you must be either an active grower member of HortNZ, an affiliated product group or affiliated grower association.

Nominations close Monday, 15 June. Full award details and nomination form can be found on the HortNZ website here.

New Zealand Horticulture Conference 

Tickets are on sale for the 2026 New Zealand Horticulture Conference in Wellington on 28-29 July.

This year’s conference will once again be delivering high-quality content with strong commercial relevance for growers and the wider horticulture sector.

The programme is divided into three dedicated streams – strategic, RSE and technical – designed to appeal to a wide range of growers, employers, service providers and industry stakeholders.

The conference programme overview is available now; you can view this here.

A dedicated forum for Recognised Seasonal Employers only will be held the day prior to the conference offering the opportunity for targeted engagement.

New Zealand Apples and Pears Conference – 22/23 July

EXPO 2026 has expanded to two full days of insight, connection, and innovation.

Join growers, post-harvest teams, technical specialists, and industry partners for an immersive programme designed to inspire and equip you for the season ahead. EXPO location: QT Hotel (38-54 Lake Esplanade, Queenstown)
Dinner location: Millennium Hotel (Corner Frankton Road & Stanley Street).

Register for EXPO 2026 – Click here for registrations

HBFA Annual Golf Day

What a brilliant day out on the course for our annual HBFA Golf Classic on Friday 15 May

A huge thank you to everyone who came along, entered teams, sponsored holes, and made the day a success. The day was not only about golf but about taking a well-deserved afternoon to step off the orchard blocks, recharge, and catch up with mates after a demanding harvest season.

I want to extend our sincere gratitude to our incredible sponsors, volunteers, all who attended and to the team at HBFA who made this event happen. Congratulations to all our prize winners

Meet Your 2026 Young Fruit Grower Contestants!

Looking ahead to next month, the wait is officially over! We have formally introduced the eight outstanding contestants who will be competing for the title of Hawke’s Bay Young Fruit Grower of the Year 2026 on 18–19 June:

• Maddi Sheridan (T&G Global)
• Mikayla Franklin (Craigmore)
• Mary Arkell (Taylor Corp)
• Georgia McKinnon (T&G Global)
• Maicha Slade (Apatu Farms)
• Saffron Riley (Mr Apple)
• William Horsefield (Ceed)
• Joseph Stenberg (T&G Global)

Tickets for the Awards Gala Dinner on Friday 19 June at Toitoi are on sale now. Do not forget to register your team by 17 June for the highly competitive Hurford Parker Tug of War Challenge, taking place on Thursday 18 June at Ranui Field ($1,500 prize pool up for grabs!).

Take care – enjoy some down time and I look forward to seeing as many as possible at out HBFA Young Grower Competition and dinner.

Ngā mihi nui,

Brydon Nisbet

President Hawkes Bay Fruit Growers Association

NZAPI Update

There’s plenty happening across the horticulture sector as we head into winter.

Congratulations to Central Otago Young Grower of the Year winner Luke St John, who will now progress to the national final later this year. Closer to home, we’re looking forward to welcoming competitors, sponsors and supporters to the Hawke’s Bay Young Fruit Grower of the Year competition on 18–19 June.

NZAPI has also announced details for its Annual Conference and AGM, taking place in Queenstown on 22–23 July. The conference is a fantastic opportunity to hear industry updates, connect with growers and sector leaders, and discuss the opportunities and challenges facing New Zealand horticulture.

Members can also save the date for the Orchard Research Review on 2 July, which will showcase the latest orchard-based research and provide an opportunity to contribute to future industry priorities.

For more information on these events, conference registrations, industry updates and member resources, visit the NZAPI Members Portal and website.

https://www.applesandpears.nz/