Northland avocado investment opportunity beckons

Up for sale: A 25-hectare avocado canopy in Northland is on the market. Photo / Supplied

The opportunity to invest in one of the country's most productive avocado orchard operations has arisen, offering investors good immediate returns and positive prospects of longer-term growth in future fruit volumes.

The Broadhurst portfolio in the Far North is located in the heart of the region's rapidly developing avocado industry and has laid the template for the region's latest, and future, avocado development.

Bayleys salesman Alan Kerr said Broadhurst had tipped the conventional avocado growing model on its head.

"This is an orchard capable of producing two and a half times the industry's per-hectare average yield," Kerr said.

"There is a combination of ideal soils, good water supply and of course the Northland climate, which makes the region capable of producing some of the highest avocado yields in the world.

"Broadhurst takes those assets a step further, with higher tree density, good fertility management and exceptional attention to detail, to deliver on both quantity and quality."

Consisting of 25 hectares of avocado canopy of which around half are mature trees, further potential for expansion exists.

Younger trees are due to reach full maturity in the coming five years across the five titled Broadhurst portfolio properties.

Kerr said much of the orchard's success was attributable to its namesake, Ian Broadhurst, who has been recognised as a leading light in the industry for his innovation and management ability.

"When Ian established Broadhurst his orchard design was influenced by what he had seen in Mexico, Chile and Peru, countries renowned for highly productive avocado orchards."

The key change to conventional layout introduced by Ian Broadhurst was to plant an orchard with a high density of smaller, more compact trees.

The mature plantings on Broadhurst are growing 28 tonnes of fruit a hectare, against an industry average of only 11.5 tonnes.

Better light penetration, spray coverage and reduced health and safety risks at picking time also result from the smaller tree profile.

"Delivering higher yields per hectare results in lower costs per tray of fruit harvested, " Kerr said.

"More than 20 per cent of the canopy area produced a net profit in excess of $100,000 per hectare last season.

"Investors in Broadhurst are not only purchasing land and crop, but also a high level of technical input and advice supplied by Ian."

Broadhurst's profit prospects are reinforced by a positive outlook for New Zealand's avocado export industry.

Last season the industry reported a record production level, with 5.1 million trays exported.

Northland's role in the fruit's future is also growing with it, with proven cropping capability and reliability meaning it will soon eclipse the Bay of Plenty as the country's main avocado growing region.

"Broadhurst is a very timely investment opportunity, with the industry in a strong growth phase," Kerr added.

"Northland is proving itself to be an exceptional growing region and investors are getting the best of region, orchard design and management expertise with Broadhurst."

Broadhurst is for sale by tender, closing at 4pm on August 26, unless sold prior.

To learn more contact Alan Kerr, Bayleys Bay of Islands (021) 730 353 or visit www.broadhurstportfolio.co.nz