Busy time for the Wattie’s and their vegetable growers

BUSY TIME FOR WATTIE’S AND THEIR VEGETABLE GROWERS

It’s a very busy time for the Wattie’s Christchurch team and their vegetable growers in Canterbury, with peas, broad beans, green beans, dicing carrots, and baby carrots all being either planted or harvested this month.

Pea harvesting and processing has started, and we’re in the final days of the cross-over period in which pea planting and harvesting occur at the same time.

South Island Agricultural Manager Mark Daniels says that following regular spring rainfall he’s optimistic for pea yields of average or better. “This will make it another season of ‘maximum volume’ for Canterbury peas - around 30,000 tonne – for Wattie’s products and for international export.”

After tomatoes, peas are Wattie’s largest crop, and after local requirements are satisfied, Canterbury peas from Wattie’s are much sought after by international customers.

Pea planting started in July and finishes this week, and harvesting and processing will run through 24 hours per day continuously until mid-February

Mark Daniels says that this year Wattie’s has also made a full planting of broad beans, and processing, which started on November 14, will be completed this week.

“Green bean planting has started in the past week and will be followed by baby carrots later this month, with harvesting for both these vegetables following peas.

Wattie’s baby carrots are genuine whole carrots, rather than small carrot shapes cut from large carrots.

“All these Canterbury crops are a valuable part of Wattie’s ‘NZ Grown’ product offering for consumers. Wattie’s have been processing NZ grown fruit and vegetables for over 75 years.

ENDS

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