A more strategic approach to food needed in New Zealand

Spring is here, the weather is warming up, and our fruit and vegetable growers are busy in their fields and orchards. Yet, no matter the season, growers know that New Zealand is only ever one major weather event away from food shortages and soaring prices.

We saw that all too clearly in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle. Vegetable production was reduced by only 10 to 15 per cent, yet consumers faced price increases of up to 300 per cent. More recently, the Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough floods reminded us again how vulnerable food production is to extreme weather, with the clean-up and recovery still ongoing.

And recently our avocado growers were hit with significant losses following extreme winds.

These events are not just challenges for growers; they are challenges for all New Zealanders. Already, prices remain high, and one-third of households rely on food banks or financial help to access enough nutritious food, according to a Consumer NZ survey. This is appalling in a country that grows enough food to feed our people.

It’s time for New Zealand to take a more strategic approach to food. It appears to have fallen off the radar, but a national plan for action would improve New Zealanders’ access to fresh, healthy produce.

Such a plan isn’t a “nice to have” - it’s essential if we want a well, happy and productive society.

Without it, we risk continuing to lurch from crisis to crisis, with weather events, price spikes and food insecurity hitting families hard.

Poor diets are fuelling chronic health issues. Rising rates of obesity (33 per cent in 2023, compared with 10 per cent in 1977) and type 2 diabetes, particularly among young people, are putting huge pressure on our already stretched health system. The evidence is clear: fruit and vegetables are part of the solution.

Research from the University of Otago in 2023 showed that if New Zealanders added just one more vegetable a day to their diet, our health system could save more than $830 million over the lifespan of that population. And yet, despite more than a year of relatively low produce prices thanks to favourable growing conditions, there has been no noticeable increase in consumption.

We need to change that.

This requires investment in initiatives to make healthy food more affordable, and crucially, security of supply. That means ensuring growers can keep producing fresh, nutritious food in our key growing regions, supported by sensible resource management settings.

For too long, growers have faced unnecessary barriers and costly consents just to grow the food New Zealanders need. Removing these hurdles will help secure the future of regional food production, while maintaining strong environmental standards.

This is good for growers, for consumers and for New Zealand. But it’s just the beginning. The next step must be a comprehensive national plan for action that brings together growers, policymakers, and communities to ensure all New Zealanders have access to affordable, healthy fruit and vegetables.

New Zealand could look to other nations who have taken a similar approach, including Ireland and Denmark, who both recognise that good food outcomes are linked to better health and environmental outcomes and take a unified and holistic approach.

We are ready to play our part. With the right plan, New Zealand can deliver better health outcomes, a stronger economy and a more resilient food system.