A major boost to Mid Canterbury’s community and economy is coming… in the form of apples.

Pendarves’ Torea orchard will devote 250 hectares of its coastal farmland to apple trees, starting this July.

The farm could create 450 jobs at peak season, and will need around 30 permanent staff once the trees are producing commercially viable fruit.

FarmRight pipfruit general manager Red Martin said the groundwork’s already been laid.

“We’ve started putting the infrastructure in, which includes cultivation, trellis and irrigation prior to tree planting.”

Two separate varieties are being planted on the farm: The self-named Rockit variety, and exporter T&G’s new premium apple, Joli.

The orchard will be a 50/50 split of the fruits, Martin said.

All of the Rockit-bearing trees will get planted this year, starting in July.

The Joli variety will be fully planted in 2026, and the orchards first commercially viable back will be ready by 2028.

That’s when the farm will start needing manpower, Martin said.

“The permanent workforce will probably be around 30,” he said.

“Numbers will ebb and flow throughout the year, peaking at 450.”

Farmright, who manage the orchard on behalf of the NZ Superannuation fund, plan to provide more than just the jobs.

“One of the biggest challenges in labour intensive industries in NZ anywhere is the availability of beds,” Martin said.

By 2026, the group will have built onsite accommodation, with extra offsite housing coming in the following years.

“We’ll put 100 beds on-site, and 200 beds off-site, so 300 in total for the development.”

On top of that, they’ll provide training for the job, and transportation for those without vehicles.

“One of the focusses is working with people, growing the team and providing careers as opposed to just employing people.”

FarmRight chief operating officer Gavin Tayles said the group has talked with local industry about sharing manpower over quiet periods.

“As the development becomes more well-known, we’re starting to, through word of mouth, get enquiries.”

The orchard will convert what was once dairy farming land, he said.

“Primarily we’re looking for those natural resources; the location, the climate, the soil, the reliability of all of it.”

Rockit and Joli apples were suited to the area in a way most apples wouldn’t be.

Martin said both the land and fruit were specifically picked.

“We’ve gone coastal to reduce and mitigate frost risk, and the general climate for the area is really good for growing pipfruit.

“And being close to a fantastic community.”

The project is being funded by the NZ Superannuation Fund, who make investments to ensure there’s money for pensions in the future.

Rural portfolio general manager Ed Tapp said Torea Orchards “rounds off” the NZ Fund’s apple portfolio.

“We’ve already got exposure in Tasman and Hawke’s Bay.”

While he’s not ruling it out in the distant future, the Fund isn’t looking for further development beyond Torea Orchards at this point.

But this project will boost Mid Canterbury on the whole, he said.

“It creates not just direct employment but other opportunities; it needs a lot of service industries around it as well.

Ashburton will be the main service town for employees, where they’ll “get their groceries, go to church and [take up] sporting opportunities.

“We can develop that wider horticultural knowledge in the region.”

T&G Global’s chief operating officer apples, Shane Kingston, said the Joli variety has been a decade in the making, with the first fruit coming out of the North Island in 2027.

“Launching a new apple like JOLI™ requires extensive research and development, as well as rigorous trialling.

He said T&G is working with various interested growers in Canterbury to get more Joli in the soil.

“Canterbury provides an excellent opportunity for diversification due to its flat land availability, fertile soils, reliable water sources, drainage, adequate winter chill, favourable rainfall, and sufficient growing degree days.”

Rockit general manager commercial and general counsel Tom Lane said Canterbury was becoming a “prime region” for horticultural production.

“Canterbury offers stable weather conditions, good water supply, and the prospect of brilliantly coloured fruit for our markets across the globe.”

Rockit plans to get 600 hectares of its trees in Canterbury, having planted 20 of those on a Temuka farm in 2023.

by Anisha Satya