High Performance Manuka Plantations Manuka Research Partnership Ltd - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

High Performance Manuka Plantations

Manuka Research Partnership Ltd – PGP Project  $2.7 M Manuka Plantation PGP Research Project with Ministry of Primary Industries  8 Year Timeline - 2011 to 2018  Massey University – Research Provider  Comvita providing Manuka Plants to the Project from its Plant Breeding Program

Program Objectives To develop the necessary Manuka Plantation husbandry knowledge to enable productivity gains resulting in a 16-fold increase in market returns from Manuka honey by doubling each of:  Hives per ha  Manuka honey yield per hive  Manuka honey that meets medical grade  Land area in Manuka economically accessible to beekeepers Net effect  $1b Exports

The MRPL Co-investors  Comvita New Zealand Ltd  23,000 + hives, brand and distribution, ≈$100 M turnover  D and C Tweeddale  19,000+ hives ~ 60 Ha of Manuka plantation over 2 sites  Nukuhau Carbon Ltd  26 Ha planted at Rangitatau West  Arborex Industries – Te Awaiti station, Wairarapa  Landcorp  State Owned Enterprise operating 137 properties totalling 377,000 ha across the North and South Islands of NZ

The MRPL Co-investors  Hawkes Bay Regional Council  150 ha planted at Lake Tutira  Seeking to prove Manuka plantation as viable investment to encourage an alternative land use option New Partner who has agreed in principle to join:  Te Tumu Paeroa  100,000 ha approx under Management  Including 30,000ha approx of marginal land

Manuka Plantation Deliverables for Land Owners • Best Practice Seedling Propagation • Best Practice Plantation Establishment • Assess Manuka Provenance & Hybrid Performance • Build Flowering & Production Profile & Parameters • Prove Financial Business Case to retire Marginal Land • WORK IN PROGRESS – 4 YEAR REMAINING TIMELINE

Sample of Current Projects Glasshouse & growth chamber studies on Manuka 1. cultivars to examine influence of environmental factors on performance 2. Commercial field trials to understand best practice plantation establishment & management Develop predictive tools to advise most suitable 3. cultivars and best practice husbandry under particular plantation conditions

Programme so far > 2011-2013  From glasshouse & plantations:  Major soil effects  Cultivar effects  Aspect and local effects Variability creates opportunity

Assess variability & exploit Site 1 DHA in nectar

Early plantation success Plantation manuka Plantation manuka theoretical harvest Local manuka 2012 Local manuka historical

Hives on ordinary site Mixed Manuka Manuka & Kanuka Pasture Kanuka Kanuka Kanuka Pasture

Improved cultivars, extend flowering, increase value

Commercial Field Trials

Current Sites  30 sites totalling 745ha including 596ha Comvita Plantations  Sites targeted to provide a regional and environmental spread of field data  Intend Plantations to provide a showcase to regions >>> encouraging faster uptake

Map of Expanded PGP Field Trial Sites

Current Modelling • Establishment costs of approximately $2,000 per ha • Planting density of 1,100 stems per Ha (3m * 3m spacings) • 25 Year production life • Floral Maturity in 6 years

Establishment at Tutira (HBRC) • Summer-dry • Exposed • Range of seed lines examined • 1000 stems/ha • 156ha established

Establishment at Tutira (HBRC) • Survival 95% in good summer 85% in bad summer • Growth (height) ≈ 80cm 1 st year ≈ 130cm 2 nd year • Flowering ≈ 100% for most lines in 2 nd year

Comvita Manuka Breeding Program  Commenced in 2006  Plant Variety Rights registered on Hybrids  Breeding of 2 nd Generation Hybrids underway  Manuka seedlings provided to MRPL project which are being evaluated in Glasshouse & Field Trials

A contrast, wild vs improved Manuka

Integrated Plantation & Apiary Management  Manuka plantation performance > 1 st Leg  Conversion of nectar into honey > 2 nd Leg  Understanding/optimising apiary performance > critical to value

Proving the Business Case is When “ The Rubber Hits the Road ” PLANTATION MANUKA NATURAL WORSE KEY VARIABLES [AT MATURITY] MANUKA CASE? MID-CASE? BEST CASE? 1.0 1.0 1.5 2.0 HIVES PER HA 20 30 35 40 PRODUCTION PER HIVE (KG) $15.00 $20.00 $30.00 $40.00 UMF HONEY VALUE PER KG $300.00 $600.00 $1,575.00 $3,200.00 APIARY REVENUE PER HA 15% 30% 30% 30% LANDOWNER REVENUE SHARE $ 45 $ 180 $ 473 $ 960 LANDOWNER INCOME PER HA ** 4.60% 16.70% 29.30% LANDOWNER INVESTMENT RETURN (MARGINAL IRR)???

Take Home Messages • MRPL project is work in progress – 2018 completion date • Initial results are promising • New generation of Manuka hybrids in the pipeline • Comvita looking to expand its Plantation program and are keen to talk to Owners wishing to retire land • Consider “Trees for Bees” integration into planting

Plantation Manuka - Benefits to rural NZ  Commercialise alternative land use for marginal land in NZ  Macro environmental & economic benefit – Pure NZ Story  Flow-on benefits of wealth creation through honey industry  Capability development – new beekeepers & cadets