Irrigation scheme key to district's success: Grower

PROTEST: It seems not everyone in the vicinity of yesterday's Wairarapa Water Summit shared the sentiment that the scheme would benefit the district. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

A remarkable story of success driven in part by linking into and benefiting from a community-funded water storage scheme formed an address given at yesterday's Wairarapa Water Summit.

Tony Howey, a South Canterbury grower and food processor, is a founding director of Opuha Water, the country's largest community-funded water storage dam.

Mr Howey told of his introduction to irrigation in 1987 and of winning a Nuffield Scholarship three years later.

That took him on a visit to Britain and the United States where he was able to further study water usage.

The upshot of this and his association with Opuha Water has seen his business interests burgeoning to the point where farm turnover has reached $7 million a year.

The family-owned vegetable, berry fruit and processing operation near Timaru employs 17 staff along with casuals.

The property produces 6000 tonnes of potatoes, 5000 tonnes of onions, along with tonnes of carrots. It is the biggest organic black currant farm in NZ and has now added a flour mill.

Mr Howey said irrigation has been the key not only with his property, but for others who bought in, and the district in general.

Transport companies have expanded, school rolls have firmed and increased and "there is talk of new kindergartens being opened."

The message is "water is life."

"Water is to New Zealand what oil is to Saudi Arabia," Mr Howey said.