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Blueberries NZ Inc

BBNZ Propagators

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 phase 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:

• Grower members are commercial growers of blueberries who harvested and sold at least 500kgs of blueberries in the previous year and paid the appropriate levies, Grower Registration Form
• Exporter members are those who have paid the appropriate annual exporter registration fee which for the current year is $250 + GST, Exporter Registration Form

• Associate members are interested parties who have paid the annual associate registration fee which for the current year is $100 + GST. Associate Member Registration Form

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:
• three exporter members
• two representing exporters of fresh blueberries
• one representing exporters of frozen blueberries

The current members of the BBNZ Executive are as follows:

Grower Executive Members

Chairperson

Dan Peach

Oakberry Farms
42 Woodside Rd, RD4
Hamilton
Ph/fax: 07 829 5952
027 283 6453
email: oakberry@xtra.co.nz

Deputy Chairperson

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

Grower Executive Members

Glen Beach
Beachs Blueberries Ltd
2/120 McFarlane St,
Hamilton
Ph: 027 6942 110 or Ph: 07 825 2861 (Orch)
email:glenbeach@hotmail.com

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

Robert Auton
Omaha Blueberries
PO Box 16
Matakana, 0948
Ph: 09 974 3242
email: robert@oob.co.nz

Exporter Executive Members

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

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

Warrick Macdonald
Blueberry Country Ltd
397 Jary Rd, RD 1, Ohaupo
Ph: 07 823 6923 - Fax: 07 823 6925
email: warrick@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

Ian Albers
First Fresh (NZ) Ltd
PO Box 1323, Gisborne
Ph: 09 835 2011 - Fax: 09 838 0404
email: ian.albers@firstfresh.co.nz

Brent Stewart
Frescho
PO Box 886, Auckland
Ph: 09 376 9990 - Fax: 09 361 0082
email: brent@freshco.co.nz

Janet Clarke
Freshmax NZ Ltd/Intermax
PO Box 22037,
Otahuhu, 1060
Ph: 09 917 1445 - 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
PO Box 101 269, NSMC, Auckland
Ph: 09 489 3399 - Fax: 09 489 3299
email: tjeerd@lefresh.co.nz

John Scott
NZ Gourmet Holdings
PO Box 53028, Auckland Int Airport, 2150
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@oob.co.nz

Tony Sinkovich
Global Fresh NZ Ltd
PO Box 272, Katikati
Ph: 07 549 3027 - Fax: 07 549 3028
email: tony.sinkovich@globalfresh.co.nz

Steve Wall
JP Exports
PO Box 17470, Greenlane
1546
Ph: 021 890 577 - Fax: 09 4573 1101
email: swall@jpexports.co.nz

Craig Hall
RD 8 Ltd
PO Box 90316, AMSC
Auckland 1030
Ph: 021 645 868 - Fax: 09 376 1125
email: craig@rd8.co.nz

Russell Faulkner
Fresh Produce Group NZ Ltd
PO box 301446
Albany
Auckland
0752
Ph: 09 476 2063 Fax: 09 476 2067 Mob: 021 489 995
email: russell@freshproducegroup.co.nz

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

Geoff Langford
Plant & Food Research
PO Box 51, Lincoln, Christchurch
Ph: 03 9777 345
email: glangford@plantandfood.co.nz

All Testing is completed by

Hills Laboratory

Chris Berkers
Ph: 07 857 0607
Mb: 0274 786 341
email:chris.berkers@hill-labs.co.nz
www.hill-lab.co.nz

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