KARAHIPI – Get in there whānau, there’s no limit to the number of scholarships you can apply for
3 February 2021Alert Level Update – Sunday 14 February 2021
14 February 2021Mahi! Mahi! Mahi!
Tēnā koutou e te whānau,
Something on the horizon that you should be thinking about if you’re looking for mahi or thinking about a change… the Ngawha Innovation & Enterprise Park is starting to fire up. The first off the rank seems to be Kaikohe Berries…
With information hui planned, stay informed and hear the latest. Nau mai, haere mai:
Daytime hui – Friday 12 February 12pm to 1.30pm at the Rūnanga.
Evening hui – Monday 15 February 5pm to 6.30pm at the Rūnanga.
This work is open to anyone, and our hope is that Ngāpuhi take advantage of the opportunity.
And the official position, from Ngāpuhi Asset Holding Company Limited (NAHC)…
Ngāpuhi Asset Holding Company Limited (NAHC) is currently leading the development of a sustainability focused hitech hydroponics berryfruit operation in the Ngawha Enterprise and Innovation Park, just outside of Kaikohe.
Partnering with award winning Maungatapere Berries and Far North Holdings the new venture will develop a 28 hectare site. The partnership will grow soft berries, mostly raspberries and blackberries starting with 10 hectares of hydroponic tunnel houses. Packing and cool-store facilities will be built on site and the enterprise is expected to provide good-quality, well-paid work for between 120 and 160 local people each year. Of these, between 60 and 70 are expected to be full-time positions.
NAHC will be the majority shareholder within the berryfruit operation which will achieve its first crop around October this year, with the site being future proofed to enable a further 9ha of tunnel houses within the coming years.
NAHC chief executive Paul Knight provided that “This is a highly strategic regional partnership, that is developing one of the largest soft berryfruit growing operations in New Zealand. The venture is forecasted to increase local business activity by $34m per annum and will become one of the largest employers in the region. Providing attractive and well paid jobs that are in easy reach of our community.”
Mr Knight said the venture provided a “step-change opportunity” for the Kaikohe community and Ngāpuhi, and that “enabling this type of development is at the heart of what NAHC has sought to achieve.”