Manuka has multi-million dollar potential for the Far North

A new venture planned for the Far North has the potential to generate hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars from manuka-covered land.

 The project could see the Far North become the world’s primary source of bioactive manuka honey used in medicine and medicinal treatments.

The ultimate aim is a centre of excellence in the Far North, based on manuka’s special qualities. There is an additional opportunity to move into sustainable farming of native timbers, using manuka as a nurse crop.

Manuka’s medicinal properties have made it the world’s most sought-after honey, and with beekeepers competing to secure sites, manuka has gone from being an unwanted scrub to a valuable land use. Returns from the combination of medical-grade manuka honey production and sustainable native forestry could equal or even exceed those from dairying on the same land in Northland.

Northland has two advantages – its manuka honey has high levels of bioactive compounds, and the region has concentrated areas of manuka.

Iwi authority Te Runanga o Te Rarawa, Watson and Son of Masterton, New Zealand’s biggest beekeeper and manuka honey producer, and regional development agency Enterprise Northland have agreed to work together to help support intensified production of bioactive manuka honey in the Far North.

Partnerships are essential to the project and further partners are likely to be added as it progresses.

Over the next five years, the project will include setting up a beekeeper training college, intensifying beekeeping as a cottage industry in the Far North, and building processing, storage and quality assurance facilities.

This would create 200 direct jobs within five years and annual earnings from honey at full production of about $68 million. Added-value processing within Northland would increase the return, and there are further jobs and economic benefits from providing the services required by a bigger honey industry.

Enterprise Northland chief executive Brian Roberts noted that an even greater opportunity has been identified if the venture can break into the international market for manuka-infused bandages to treat wounds and fight “super bugs”. Manuka is more effective, cleaner, greener and safer than the alternatives – the main option used at present is silver-infused bandages.

“Economic development projects of this magnitude are rare for Northland, and rarer still for the Far North,” said Mr Roberts. “It will need partnership and commitment from many organisations and individuals to ensure that the maximum benefit is secured.”

Enterprise Northland’s role in facilitating the project includes providing a project manager to develop the venture.

Commenting on Watson and Son’s role, managing director Denis Watson said the company’s objective was to secure as much high-quality manuka honey as possible. “Manuka as a replacement for silver-infused bandages is a multi-billion dollar opportunity and the challenge is to get enough manuka honey to satisfy the demand. We are currently experiencing just the beginning of the potential of manuka as a healing and health product.”

Watson and Son already has established markets in the United Kingdom, United States and China, and also owns an advanced wound care company in the UK. Mr Watson and his family have whanau links to the north.

Te Runanga o Te Rarawa chief executive Kevin Robinson said the venture represented a huge opportunity for Maori in the Far North. “For over 30 years, a lot of the land has been under-utilised and has reverted back to manuka with young natives regenerating.

“Instead of scrub-cutting and burning manuka, we’re looking at sowing seed to increase the resource.

“By supporting people in rural areas to start up beekeeping businesses, we begin to rebuild sustainable communities.

A further opportunity is the sustainable farming of native trees – using manuka as a nursery crop.

Ian Bamber, a northern ward councillor for the Far North District Council who has an interest in economic development, said he was “stunned” by the potential. “It would be a massive industry up here if it can be pulled off and hopefully the council can help.

“It will provide an income off land that has been marginal in terms of any other production, it will provide work for a lot of people and a pathway for people to own their own businesses.

“People can do their training here, which is a huge plus, and people of all ages can participate.”