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The New Zealand growing environment
New Zealand is situated in the South Pacific Ocean, between latitude 34'S and 47'S.
Its two main islands (North and South Islands) cover 266,200 sq km (103,735 sq miles), about the size of Japan or California and slightly larger than Great Britain.
Because New Zealand has fertile soils and a clean environment it is an ideal growing environment for vegetables and fruit.
New Zealand growing regions as shown on the map are:
Auckland/Waikato, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Manawatu. The percentage of Squash grown in each area is shown on the right.
Auckland/Waikato
(10%)*
Gisborne
(38%)*
Hawkes Bay
(40%)*
Manawatu
(10%)*
Canterbury
(2%)*
*Approximate percentages of buttercup Squash from each region.
Our Food Safety Programme
The New Zealand buttercup squash industry's record of product safety since the industry was formed has been excellent and includes full traceability of product from the growing field to the importing countries' ports.
The New Zealand industry is also especially committed to assisting its overseas partners in market-end product traceability and labeling systems, to further strengthen its joint food safety goals.
- Horticultural is one of New Zealand's fastest growing export sectors - exports have grown from about $115 million in 1980 to $2.4 billion in 2006.
- The top five horticultural exports are kiwifruit (30 percent), apples (14 percent), total frozen/ processed vegetables (12 percent) and total fresh vegetables (9 percent).
- Buttercup Squash (27 percent) and Onions (38 percent) dominate fresh vegetable exports
- Fruit, vegetables and flowers were exported to 114 countries around the world in 2006, an increase from 80 countries in 1996.