Blueberries New Zealand Inc

Blueberries New Zealand Inc. (BBNZ) is the recognised product group representing the blueberry industry in New Zealand . BBNZ has the role of furthering the interests of all blueberry industry participants. Objectives of BBNZ include promotion of the orderly development of the blueberry industry, promotion of blueberries both within New Zealand and overseas, compliance with the Commodity Levies Act 1990 and the Commodity Levies (Blueberries)Order 2001 and co-ordination of a research and development programme for the industry.

The blueberry industry has been established for over two decades in New Zealand and is currently in a Ph:ase of growth. This growth has been particularly encouraged by positive claims about the health benefits of blueberries.

Currently there are approximately 90 grower members, 16 exporter members and 6 associate members. There is around 400 hectares planted or being planted in blueberries at present. Traditionally most of the plantings have occurred in the upper North Island, however large areas are being planted in the South Island.

In the 2001/2002 season approximately 330,000kgs of fresh fruit and 80,000kgs of frozen fruit were exported, the main export markets being the United States and Japan. The New Zealand domestic market consumed approximately 73,000 kgs fresh fruit and 330,000kgs of frozen fruit (some of which had to be imported because of blueberry losses resulting from frost).

BBNZ consists of grower members, exporter members and associate members:

The levies which fund the blueberry industry are imposed under the Commodity Levies (Blueberries) Order 2001 which comes under the Commodity Levies Act 1990 (see details later).

BBNZ is governed by an elected Executive.

The Executive consists of five grower members:

The current members of the BBNZ Executive are as follows:

Grower Executive Members

Chairperson

Greg Furniss
Blueberry Country
397 Jary Rd, RD 1, Ohaupo
Ph: 07 823 6923 - Fax: 07 823 6925 - email: greg@blueberry.co.nz
Develoment Advisor

Graeme Kimber
Blueforest Farms
O'Regan Rd, RD 2, Ohaupo
Ph/Fax: 07 825 2855 - email: blueforest.farms@xtra.co.nz

Grower Executive Members

Dianne Beach
Beachs Blueberries Ltd
32 Edinburgh St, Hamilton
Ph/Fax: 07 856 9256 or Ph: 07 825 2861 (Orch)

Marco de Groot
Monavale Blueberries
790 Wallace Rd, RD 3, Cambridge
Ph: 07 827 9456 - Fax: 07 827 9485 - email: info@monavaleblueberries.co.nz

Narandra Patel
Gourmet Group
PO Box 10 236
Ph: 021 712 255 - email: narandra@nzg.co.nz

Exporter Executive Members

Russell Faulkner
Global Organics
PO Box 107106, Airport Oaks, Mangere
Ph: 09 489 9952 - Fax: 09 489 9963 - email: russell@globalorganics.co.nz

John Scott
New Zealand Gourmet
PO Box 53028, Auckland Airport
Ph: 09 275 3415 - Fax: 275 3300 - email: john@nzg.co.nz

Trisha Coulomb
Ffowcs Williams
PO Box 41 070, St Lukes, Auckland
Ph: 09 849 2351 - Fax: 09 846 9546 - email: trisha@ffowcs.co.nz

Registered Exporters

Frozen Fruit

Trisha Coulomb
Ffowcs William
PO Box 41 070, St Lukes, Auckland
Ph: 09 849 2351 - Fax: 09 846 9546 - email: trisha@ffowcs.co.nz

Warwick Macdonald
Blueberry Country Ltd
397 Jary Rd, RD 1, Ohaupo
Ph: 07 823 6923 - Fax: 07 823 6925 - email: warwick@blueberry.co.nz

Fresh Fruit

Anton Masutti
Delica NZ Ltd
PO Box 107030, Airport Oaks, Mangere, Auckland
Ph: 09 256 9323 - Fax: 09 256 9324 - email: anton@delica.co.nz

Stuart Mansill
First Fresh (NZ) Ltd
PO Box 1323, Gisborne
Ph: 09 835 2011 - Fax: 09 838 0404 - email: stuart.mansill@firstfresh.co.nz

Craig Hall
Frescho
PO Box 886, Auckland
Ph: 09 376 9990 - Fax: 09 361 0082 - email: craig@freshco.co.nz

Doug Hamilton
Fresh Direct
PO Box 17 470, Auckland
Ph: 09 573 4100 - Fax: 09 573 1101 - email: dhamilton@freshdirect.co.nz

John Greensmith
Fresh Food Exports
256 Omaha Flats Rd, RD 6 Warkworth
Ph: 09 422 7006 - Fax: 09 422 7727 - email: ffenz@ihug.co.nz

Jacqui Wong
Fresh Partners (Pacific) Ltd
PO Box 37 601, Parnell, Auckland
Ph: 09 356 4780 - Fax: 09 377 6716 - email: jwong@freshpartners.co.nz

Russell Faulkner
Global Organics
PO Box 107106, Airport Oaks, Mangere
Ph: 09 489 9952 - Fax: 09 489 9963 - email: russell@globalorganics.co.nz

Janet Clarke
Intermax
PO Box 22344, Otahuhu
Ph: 09 917 1498 - Fax: 09 917 1490 - email: janet@intermax.co.nz

Sharon Kirk
KPI Ltd
PO Box 1226, Gisborne
Ph: 06 862 8233 - Fax: 06 862 8234 - email: sharon@kpinz.co.nz

Tjeerd Smilde
Le Fresh International
PO Box 101 269, NSMC, Auckland
Ph: 09 489 3399 - Fax: 09 489 3299 - email: tjeerd@lefresh.co.nz

Kelvin Fung
Marvic Trade
PO Box 68 248, Newton, Auckland
Ph: 09 358 0213 - Fax: 09 358 0730 - email: marvichk@yahoo.com

John Scott
NZ Gourmet
PO Box 53028, Auckland Int Airport
Ph: 09 275 3415 - Fax: 09 275 3300 - email: john@nzg.co.nz

Robert Auton
Omaha Blueberries Ltd
PO Box 16, Matakana 0948
Ph: 09 422 9886 - Fax: 021 692 763 - email: robert@blue.co.nz

Bob Clarke
Paragon Produce
PO Box 331316, Takapuna
Ph: 09 489 3338 - Fax: 09 489 8870 - email: bob@paragonproduce.co.nz

Alan McMeiken
Produce Partners
PO Box 331 577, Takapuna
Ph: 09 489 2282 - Fax: 09 489 2284 - email: alan@producepartners.co.nz

Geoff Murdoch
Redbridge NZ Ltd
PO Box 8322, Havelock North
Ph: 027 258 8008 - Fax: 06 342 1883 - email: geoff.murdoch@worldfresh.co.uk

Phelan Pirrie
Turners & Growers
PO Box 665, Auckland
Ph: 021 844 124 - Fax: 09 573 8998 - email: phelan.pirrie@turnersandgrowers.com

All members of the Executive are elected for a period of two years.

The day to day business of BBNZ is carried out by the Industry Secretary - Jan Bishell

Jan's contact details are:

Blueberries New Zealand Inc.,
PO Box 13 029, Hillcrest, Hamilton.
Ph: 07 856 6809 - Fax: 07 856 3409 - email: bishell@clear.net.nz

BBNZ has a contract with HortResearch to carry out a blueberry plant breeding programme as directed by the industry.

The Blueberry Advisory Committee which is made up of grower members from BBNZ and members from HortResearch. The Blueberry Advisory Committee is charged with setting and monitoring the direction for this blueberry breeding programme.

The Strategic objectives for BBNZ provide the basis for the direction of the blueberry plant breeding programme.

Blueberries New Zealand has a quality programme which provides standards for both fresh and frozen blueberries and also a spray programme which sets out the spray requirements and procedures.

The quality programme is managed by AgriQuality.

Andrew Mill
AgriQuality
Private Bag 9007, Hastings
Ph: 06 873 4315 - Fax: 06 876 0757 - email: millap@agriquality.co.nz

The spray programme is overseen by HortResearch and AgriQuality

Greg Hodges
AgriQuality
Private Bag 9007, Hastings
Ph: 06 870 7634 - Fax: 06 876 0757 - email: hodgesg@agriquality.co.nz

Geoff Langford
Hort Research
PO Box 51, Lincoln, Christchurch
Ph: 03 325 6604 - Fax: 03 325 6063 - email: glangford@hortresearch.co.nz

Shirley Miller
Hort Research
Ruakura Research Centre, Private Bag 3212, Hamilton
Ph: 07 858 4650 - Fax: 07 858 4700 - email: SMiller@hortresearch.co.nz

CommodityLevy

The blueberry industry was successful in 1995, with its application to have a commodity levy imposed on fresh and frozen blueberries for both the local and export markets. This means that all commercial growers of blueberries must pay a compulsory levy to Blueberries New Zealand Inc more>>

Where can I get further information

For further information, please contact Blueberries NZ Inc. at:

PO Box 13 029, Hillcrest, Hamilton.
Ph: 07 856 6809 - Fax: 07 856 3409 - email: bishell@clear.net.nz