Video

Hi, I'm Dave McLellan and I grow organic apples and kiwi's for Nature & More in New Zealand. Our company, New Zealand Organics, represents a large group of organic growers in the Napier area. Our company, set up in 1991, was one of the pioneers in organic fresh produce from New Zealand. From 1997 onwards we have been exporting apples and kiwi's and these fruits are still our main focus products.

One of the reasons why the company was set up was to help our growers gain access to international markets since it was impossible for them to do this on an individual basis. Today, we do a lot more than simply selling fruit. Our activities include close cooperation on crop improvement issues, training etc.

Most of the growers are located in the Hawke’s Bay area within a radius of approximately 100 km of Napier. The climate in this part of the North Island is ideally suited to the production of apples. Furthermore our growers have the benefit of naturally fertile soils, long days with abundant sunlight hours, favourable temperatures and pure water. The cold winters and mild summers around Hawke's Bay are particularly good for biological pest and disease management.

The average organic apple farm in the region covers between 40 to 50 ha, which are often divided between different varieties. The area is sparsely populated and the orchards are frequently separated by long stretches of rolling hillsides, which are covered with meadows and forests. Individual volcanoes form a dramatic backdrop and many beautiful rivers gravitate towards the Pacific Ocean.