Reliable water will give growers confidence to invest

Water remains one of the defining issues for horticulture in New Zealand.

When I chat with growers, the message from them is clear and consistent. Reliable access to water is essential if our industry is to stay productive and resilient in the face of climate change.

With hotter, drier conditions across much of the country, the need for long-term, strategic solutions has never been greater.

That’s why HortNZ is watching progress on projects like the Heretaunga Plains water storage initiative with real interest. We know these kinds of investments are critical for the future, not only to sustain horticulture but to support regional communities and the wider economy.

It’s encouraging to see the Government acknowledging this challenge, with commitments to reduce the barriers to developing water storage and managed aquifer recharge. These are the sorts of forward-looking policies that will help New Zealand build climate resilience, safeguard freshwater systems and enable more productive land use.

In Northland, the recently completed Te Waihekeora Reservoir near Dargaville, shows what can be achieved when communities, iwi, and investors work together to solve water challenges.

The reservoir stores millions of cubic metres of water captured through flow harvesting when river flows are high, making it available through the dry months to irrigate crops which provides many opportunities to support new horticultural development.

It’s a practical and positive example of how regional water infrastructure can change what’s possible for local economies.

In a part of the country that frequently faces drought and water restrictions, Te Waihekeora is opening the door to new crops, more secure jobs and a stronger regional future.

It shows how well-designed water storage can deliver social, environmental, and economic benefits all at once.

This kind of co-investment approach sits squarely within the outcomes sought by the Aotearoa Horticulture Action Plan (AHAP).

One of the plan’s key priorities is to ensure strategic, evidence-based investment in regional water storage as part of our adaptation to a changing climate, while also enabling growers to optimise the value of their crops.

Reliable water supply isn’t simply about surviving droughts -- it’s about giving growers the confidence to invest, plan and produce food consistently and sustainably.

Horticulture is among the most efficient users of water in New Zealand, but our crops depend on reliability.

We all know the quality of fruit and vegetables relies on steady growing conditions -- something only reliable water can provide, including water for frost fighting during the early spring periods in some locations.

We cannot grow without access to our most productive land, and we cannot grow without water.

Yet current policy settings still make it difficult to expand or invest with certainty.

That’s why HortNZ continues to advocate for policy and regulatory frameworks that enable water storage, streamline consenting and provide the long-term reliability growers need -- while still protecting freshwater health.

Reliable water isn’t a luxury for horticulture -- it’s the foundation of our resilience, our livelihoods and our contribution to New Zealand’s future as a world-class food producer.