April 12, 2023
Climate tests growers’ resilience
Associate Agriculture Minister Meka Whaitiri says weather extremes driven by climate change may be the new normal for our primary producers.
She says Māori growers are just as vulnerable if not more so.
“All growing industries, whether it’s apples, kiwifruit, avocados or grapes – with these extreme weather, they’re going to have to dig a little deeper in terms of resilience for their sector,” she says.
Meka Whaitiri says despite the challenges, last week’s International Avocado Conference in Auckland – which hosted 32 nations – is a sign that global interest in Aotearoa produce remains strong.