New Zealand’s horticulture industry is set for a funding boost from national government.

But the industry will have to change in order to take full advantage of the NZ$700 million (£277m) NZ Fast Forward funding coming its way, Andrew Fenton, president of industry body Horticulture New Zealand said. “The reality is this is not just more of the same,” said Fenton. “The industry has got to change, to keep growing our businesses. This fund will help us do that.

“New Zealand's horticulturists are innovators. We always have been and we have to continue to be, if we are to grow our NZ$4 billion industry.”

The funding is to support growers to keep thinking about new technologies, find new markets, develop new products and look for new business opportunities.

“We have to be able to differentiate our products from others, and create more valuable products using world-leading production systems and our powerful Product of New Zealand brand,” said Fenton. “With this funding we are making our most significant move yet, as a primary production focused nation, to move away from our commodities attitude and instead become a clever, responsive, niche-market, high-end, added-value producer.”

NZ Fast Forward has been launched as a partnership with business, using around $700m of taxpayers' money, plus more from the private sector, to boost R&D in New Zealand’s agricultural and horticultural exports. The government's investment will grow to around $1bn as it earns interest over the next 10 to 15 years. Prime minister Helen Clark says the commitment is the largest ever boost to research, development and innovation funding in New Zealand's history.

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