A sweet earner for small blocks

Whether it is boysenberries with your ice-cream, or strawberries on top of the Christmas Pavlova, berries hold a special place in the hearts (and stomachs) of most Kiwis.

Being a long skinny country also provides ample opportunity to grow most types of berries and it is a sector that can provide opportunities for the burgeoning number of small block owners around the country. But it is also a sector that brings its own unique set of challenges and risks, ones that it pays to be well aware of before embarking on any berry business.

New Zealand’s horticultural sector is on a roll right now, with positive prospects globally for the high volume, high value apple, cherry, avocadoes and kiwifruit crops in particular. Between them these crops generated almost $3 billion worth of export earnings in 2019, with prospects for those earnings to grow by 15% on average by 2022.

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