Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced New Zealanders will be able to enjoy spray-free strawberries grown through a new hi-tech system using 90% less water almost all year round thanks to a Government-backed pilot project based in Foxton.

Strawberries are a common staple of the New Zealand diet during summertime. However, many people would agree that the strawberry season is too brief in the region.

Minister O’Connor says we’re focussed on new innovations that lift the sustainability and productivity of our food and fibre sector and this project moves us along that path.

“We’re partnering with 26 Seasons Ltd through Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures to identify the most cost-effective method to grow high yielding, out of season strawberries using a controlled environment growing system.”

“We’re committing more than $920,000 over two years to this project through the Ministry for Primary Industries administered fund.”

“It will enable research to help in scaling up production using 26 Seasons’ proprietary growing system, which the company has tested successfully in a preliminary trial.” Minister O’Connor said.

26 Seasons’ indoor hydroponic system recycles water, and uses mobile vertical racks and pulsing light, so it doesn’t require the pesticides or herbicides that are usually an essential part of large-scale strawberry production

In a first of it’s kind for New Zealand the method produces microgreens in a controlled environment. Other produce producers are also using these growing systems around the world.

The controlled environment farming technology uses 90 percent less water and 90 percent less land than traditional horticulture and If successful, 26 Seasons will share its technology with growers of other high-value crops by licensing the intellectual property.

According to Minsiter Damien O’Connor 26 Seasons had already successfully conducted a pre-pilot small-scale trial of 1,000 strawberry plants in inner city Wellington, with the help of funding from Callaghan Innovation.

“The time is ripe to scale up, and this new pilot project has just undergone a trial of growing up to 8,000 plants in a larger building in Foxton,”

“This will be a stepping-stone to 26 Seasons’ aim of full commercialisation, which would require between 60,000 and 200,000 plants per site.” he said.

The project will aim to produce fruit with an equivalent taste, look, and size to peak-season strawberries grown locally and conventionally.

“The successful adoption of the technology could also create more skilled technical jobs that are not season dependent.” says Minister O’Connor.