High Performance Manuka Plantations

Transcription

1 High Performance Manuka Plantations

2 Manuka Research Partnership Ltd PGP Project $2.7 M Manuka Plantation PGP Research Project with Ministry of Primary Industries 8 Year Timeline to 2018 Massey University Research Provider Comvita providing Manuka Plants to the Project from its Plant Breeding Program

3 Program Objectives To develop the necessary Manuka Plantation husbandry knowledge to enable productivity gains resulting in a 16-fold increase in market returns from Manuka honey by doubling each of: Hives per ha Manuka honey yield per hive Manuka honey that meets medical grade Land area in Manuka economically accessible to beekeepers Net effect $1b Exports

4 The MRPL Co-investors Comvita New Zealand Ltd 23,000 + hives, brand and distribution, $100 M turnover D and C Tweeddale 19,000+ hives ~ 60 Ha of Manuka plantation over 2 sites Nukuhau Carbon Ltd 26 Ha planted at Rangitatau West Arborex Industries Te Awaiti station, Wairarapa Landcorp State Owned Enterprise operating 137 properties totalling 377,000 ha across the North and South Islands of NZ

5 The MRPL Co-investors Hawkes Bay Regional Council 150 ha planted at Lake Tutira Seeking to prove Manuka plantation as viable investment to encourage an alternative land use option New Partner who has agreed in principle to join: Te Tumu Paeroa 100,000 ha approx under Management Including 30,000ha approx of marginal land

6 Manuka Plantation Deliverables for Land Owners Best Practice Seedling Propagation Best Practice Plantation Establishment Assess Manuka Provenance & Hybrid Performance Build Flowering & Production Profile & Parameters Prove Financial Business Case to retire Marginal Land WORK IN PROGRESS 4 YEAR REMAINING TIMELINE

7 Sample of Current Projects 1. Glasshouse & growth chamber studies on Manuka cultivars to examine influence of environmental factors on performance 2. Commercial field trials to understand best practice plantation establishment & management 3. Develop predictive tools to advise most suitable cultivars and best practice husbandry under particular plantation conditions

8 Programme so far > From glasshouse & plantations: Major soil effects Cultivar effects Aspect and local effects Variability creates opportunity

9 Assess variability & exploit Site 1 DHA in nectar

10 Early plantation success Plantation manuka Plantation manuka theoretical harvest Local manuka 2012 Local manuka historical

11 Hives on ordinary site Kanuka Manuka Pasture Kanuka Mixed Manuka & Kanuka Kanuka Pasture

12 Improved cultivars, extend flowering, increase value

13 Commercial Field Trials

14 Current Sites 30 sites totalling 745ha including 596ha Comvita Plantations Sites targeted to provide a regional and environmental spread of field data Intend Plantations to provide a showcase to regions >>> encouraging faster uptake

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16 Map of Expanded PGP Field Trial Sites

17 Current Modelling Establishment costs of approximately $2,000 per ha Planting density of 1,100 stems per Ha (3m * 3m spacings) 25 Year production life Floral Maturity in 6 years

18 Establishment at Tutira (HBRC) Summer-dry Exposed Range of seed lines examined 1000 stems/ha 156ha established

19 Establishment at Tutira (HBRC) Survival 95% in good summer 85% in bad summer Growth (height) 80cm 1 st year 130cm 2 nd year Flowering 100% for most lines in 2 nd year

20 Comvita Manuka Breeding Program Commenced in 2006 Plant Variety Rights registered on Hybrids Breeding of 2 nd Generation Hybrids underway Manuka seedlings provided to MRPL project which are being evaluated in Glasshouse & Field Trials

21 A contrast, wild vs improved Manuka

22 Integrated Plantation & Apiary Management Manuka plantation performance > 1 st Leg Conversion of nectar into honey > 2 nd Leg Understanding/optimising apiary performance > critical to value

23 Proving the Business Case is When The Rubber Hits the Road KEY VARIABLES [AT MATURITY] NATURAL MANUKA PLANTATION MANUKA WORSE CASE? MID-CASE? BEST CASE? HIVES PER HA PRODUCTION PER HIVE (KG) UMF HONEY VALUE PER KG $15.00 $20.00 $30.00 $40.00 APIARY REVENUE PER HA $ $ $1, $3, LANDOWNER REVENUE SHARE 15% 30% 30% 30% LANDOWNER INCOME PER HA ** $ 45 $ 180 $ 473 $ 960 LANDOWNER INVESTMENT RETURN (MARGINAL IRR)??? 4.60% 16.70% 29.30%

24 Take Home Messages MRPL project is work in progress 2018 completion date Initial results are promising New generation of Manuka hybrids in the pipeline Comvita looking to expand its Plantation program and are keen to talk to Owners wishing to retire land Consider Trees for Bees integration into planting

25 Plantation Manuka - Benefits to rural NZ Commercialise alternative land use for marginal land in NZ Macro environmental & economic benefit Pure NZ Story Flow-on benefits of wealth creation through honey industry Capability development new beekeepers & cadets