Gourmet Blueberries Ltd Submission -Chlorpyrifos Narandra Patel - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Gourmet Blueberries Ltd Submission -Chlorpyrifos

Narandra Patel Production Director Gourmet Group

My background

• Blueberry crop specialist >28 years
• 21 years in NZ science, 7 years private sector
• Projects in NZ, USA, Mexico, Peru, Chile,

Argentina

• Blueberries NZ Inc., Executive Officer
• Production Director Gourmet Group

Blueberries -Gourmet Group

• Gourmet Blueberries Ltd, Hastings
• Gourmet Summerfruit Ltd, Roxburgh
• Gourmet Vegetables div (G Paprika Ltd)
• About 50-60% of NZ’s fresh production
• Intensive and high tech systems

NZ Blueberry Industry

• About 80 growers but 2 growers dominate
• 400ha
• 1500 T?
• Minor crop, value $20-25M
• Production late Oct-April
• Est. Waikato peatlands 1980’s
• Expansion on mineral soils 1990’s
• Market led growth, strong drivers

NZ Blueberry Production areas

new traditional

34ºS 46ºS

500 ha

Gourmet Blueberries Ltd Hastings

Gourmet Vegetables –a division of GPL

Challenges on mineral soils

• Soil and water chemistry
• Organic amendment
• Pests –root chewing insects

Root chewing insects

• NZ Grass grub (Costelytra zealandica)
• Tasmanian Grass grub (Aphodius tasmanianiae)
• Porina (Wiseana sp)
• Black Beetle (Heteronychus arator)

Organic amendment

Enclosed in VIF

NZ Grass Grub

Healthy roots

Damaged roots

Healthy Plants

Dying Plants

Limited Alternatives to Chlorpyrifos

• Bioshield Serratia entomophila
• Yersinia sp
• Diazinon

Application Methods

• Granules at plant establishment
• Drip applied
• Overhead application in autumn

Application

Through Drippers

By overhead sprinklers

• Grow Safe trained operators
• Use latest equipment
• Re-entry periods
• Net structure provides barrier
• Monitor pest populations
• Measure pesticide residues

Safe practices