In this article, Animal and Plant Health New Zealand share what we’re hearing on the ground from farmers and growers nationwide, as we reflect 6 months on from the Ministry for Regulation review.
A recent Farmer Weekly poll has 80% of New Zealand farmers urging more Government action to address regulatory delays with access to new agricultural and horticultural products.
Farmers are growing increasingly frustrated by ongoing delays and are calling for access to a broad toolkit of innovative products to manage pests and fight diseases.
Apatu Farms in Hastings use both crop protection and animal health solutions. Mark Apatu, owner of Apatu Farms speaks with pride about their work.
“Since 1966, we’ve surrounded ourselves with the best people and the right tools to grow and supply first-class produce.
“The right tools for first class produce include innovative products with better environmental, trade, residue, and productivity profiles,” says Mark.
Mark adds that access to these products is vital, but they are not seeing new actives coming through and are reliant on old products.
“We need a broad toolkit to face a raft of challenges on the farm. Resistance management is important too and we need at least two modes of action for that,” says Mark.
Mark’s concerns are echoed by multiple farmers from Timaru.
Eric Watson, a Guinness World Record wheat grower who runs red beet as part of an intensive cropping operation on his property in Wakanu, says resistance is a real problem.
“Access to new agrichemicals technologies is critical for the future of the seed crop. We’re missing out on new chemistry to address mallow – a major threat to our red beet seed crop. Dressing the mallow seeds from red beet crop results in significant crop losses,” says Eric.
Waimate dairy farmer Kieran Henshaw says currently there is no product available in New Zealand to effectively control broad leaf weeds on his farm in Waihao Downs, such as mallow and wild turnip in fodder beet crops.
“We have tried a range of conventional products, but for our farm, have found nothing effective at fully controlling the weed to prevent yield loss,” says Kieran.
Pukekohe vegetable growers play a critical role in supplying a significant share of the country’s fresh produce. Their operations are intensive, high-value, and heavily reliant on access to effective crop protection and biological tools to manage pests, diseases, and environmental pressures. Delays in the regulatory approval process for new products are holding them back.
They say the need for a broad, responsive toolkit is not a luxury—it’s essential to sustaining productivity and resilience in one of New Zealand’s most critical growing regions.
Brendan Balle, Balle Bros Group have faced a continual erosion of the tools they have available to them, with the removal of products, due to market and country maximum residue limits for agricultural compounds.
“New safer and more effective biologicals and synthetics have not been allowed to be accessed in New Zealand, despite their use in similar jurisdictions/countries,” notes Brendan.
He adds that, “this, in turn, brings unnecessary risk, stress and cost to our people and businesses.”
Brent Wilcox highlights the increased risk of growing vegetables to ever discerning markets, noting “the inflationary period since Covid has taken our cost position to new heights, along with weather disruptions and the reduction in plant protection product options.”
“We need more new age and safer product options to better manage these risks and deliver affordable, quality food to our customers,” says Brent.
Kirit Makan, Naren Makan Ltd is very concerned about dwindling toolkit options.
“We are seriously considering our future as the toolbox is near on empty to help with growing healthy vegetables for New Zealand. Hugely concerning is the fact that a number of chemistries/biologicals that can solve certain disease/insect problems have been in the approval process for years” says Kirit.
Bharat Jivan, Jivan Produce Ltd is frustrated that he doesn’t have access to the best chemistry available to growers overseas. Bharat recently attended a horticulture conference in Australia and was excited to hear about new biological and synthetic chemistry coming to market to help growers sustainably produce vegetables.
“As a vegetable grower, my success is hinged on having the best tools in my toolbox. At the moment, I am frustrated, bordering on anger, that I don’t have access to the best chemistry available to growers overseas.
“However, if the regulatory settings are not changed from the present settings, we may never see these tools available in New Zealand. The multinational companies producing the exciting, new chemicals will not bother with New Zealand. It does not make sense to hold up the new chemistry and prevent growers from accessing more sustainable methods of food production.” says Bharat.
Farmers’ and growers’ call for a broad innovative toolkit is loud and clear. If they go unanswered, the risk is clear: New Zealand’s primary sector will fall behind international competitors and struggle to meet increasingly ambitious sustainability targets.
Their perspectives are supported by findings of a 2019 NZIER and a 2021 KPMG report
Without timely access to new technologies and solutions, productivity stalls, resilience weakens, and the sector’s ability to lead on climate-smart, future-ready food production is compromised.
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See related articles in this series
Read Why regulatory reform matters to power our primary sector : The voices that matter
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