More than 50 landowners, growers, and rural professionals gathered last week for an Avocado Open Day hosted by Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki, the regional development agency, and Matt Hareb, a local business owner and landowner. The event offered a behind-the-scenes look at a commercial-scale horticulture operation already underway in the region.

The open day was held on Hareb’s property in Brixton, where he has planted 6,000 avocado trees across 16 hectares since 2021. Attendees saw firsthand how avocados can be grown at scale and learned about the practical considerations of establishing an orchard – including site selection, soil health, and long-term market opportunity.

As an existing business owner, Hareb planted the avocado orchard to diversify his income.

“We’ve learned a lot since 2021, but we’re seeing good growth and we already have plans to plant another 6,000 trees,” says Hareb. “We have the right growing conditions, there’s good domestic demand, and it’s been great to see other locals starting to explore what’s possible.”

Hareb adds that while he is currently in conversations with packhouses out of region, he does have plans to develop his own.

“This would allow smaller orchardists to filter fruit through as they scale. That way, others can start with 100 trees or so, and grow from there.”

The event was part of Branching Out’s ongoing work to derisk land use diversification and help build more resilient food and fibre systems for the region.

Michelle Bauer, Branching Out Project Lead, says interest in the open day reflects a broader appetite among local landowners to look beyond traditional systems.

“This open day reinforces the idea that large-scale horticulture can play a major role in shaping our region’s food and fibre future,” says Bauer. “The strong interest in today’s event shows that growers and landowners are actively exploring what’s possible here  and recognising the scale that can be achieved when working together. Crops like kiwifruit, avocados and citrus fruit can grow well in the right locations with the right preparation in Taranaki. They may provide opportunities to meet market demand and diversify seasonal production.”

The Branching Out project continues to provide landowners and investors with the tools and information needed to explore these opportunities, supported by local councils, national funding partners, and technical experts.

To learn more about current trial crops and upcoming events, visit: www.venture.org.nz/projects/branching-out