A peanut growing trial in Northland is proving successful, with yields of about 2 tonnes of nuts per hectare.
Photo: Supplied to RNZ by Pic's Peanut Butter
Nelson-based Pic's Peanut Butter sources its nuts from overseas but wants to create a viable peanut growing industry here - to make its product NZ grown and to reduce its environmental footprint.
A small trial last year went well - so one hectare was planted around Northland this season.
Company owner Pic Picot said the harvest is underway and the results are looking promising.
"We did some exploratory plantings last year and that turned out pretty fine, we made a little bit of peanut butter out of it, but this year we've got a harvesting machine up there, and we're digging up five different plots in different areas around Northland.
"We're looking at getting about two tonnes of nuts per hectare, we'd like to double that, then we would be on par with what they're growing in Australia."
Pic's Peanut Butter currently sources all of it's nuts from Australia and Brazil which caused some issues during the pandemic.
Photo: Supplied to RNZ by Pic's Peanut Butter
"Australia is having more and more trouble growing peanuts due to the weather, it's become unpredictable and Brazil is a very long way away so with the disruptions in freight its been touch and go sometimes.
"We're a peanut butter factory, there's not a lot we can do without peanuts," Picot said.
He said they buy about $10 million worth of peanuts a year - money he would like to spend domestically.
"It would be great and to spend that kind of money in a place like Northland."
In the long run the company would like to establish a processing factory to deshell and clean the nuts before they are sent to the Nelson factory for roasting.
Picot said there is a lot of work to be done in the meantime with the peanut butter produced last season not tasting the best.
"I think we harvested a bit early, there is a lot to learn still but we will get there."
