New Start Gardens in New Plymouth's Saxton Rd, NZ, is closing its doors after its funding was cut back and a riparian contract was reduced. Ian Littlewood, chairman of the New Start Gardens governing board, said a number of factors had led to the closure of the nursery, established more than a decade ago.
"This year our main sponsors cut back the money we received and Taranaki Regional Council chopped our tender, so the operation was no longer profitable."
He didn't want to say who the sponsors were except that they were organisations, not individual donors.
The nursery was also disappointed to learn TRC wanted fewer of its plants in the public tender process. Until recently it had supplied about 8000 native shrubs to the riparian planting programme. The nursery was already experiencing funding issues and the reduced tender was the last straw.
Two staff - a fulltime garden supervisor and part-time worker - had been made redundant and the plant stock was being sold off in public plant sales. Other nursery facilities such as a large shade house could be leased out.
The nursery operation used volunteer workers but they had become harder to find, Mr Littlewood said.
However, it continued to use community corrections workers in its veggie gardens with food harvested regularly for Friday food parcels.
Click here to learn more at stuff.co.nz
Announcements
Vacancies
- Import and Export Sales Manager
- Sales Manager - US
- Grower | Cannabis
- Key Account Manager (f/m/d) - Full-time
- Vice President of Growing Operations
- Account Manager - Canada
- Account Manager - United States
- Procurement Manager Blueberries
- International Fruit Trader
- Sales Manager (Europe Division)
New Zealand: Local nursery to close it doors
Publication date:
Receive the daily newsletter in your email for free | Click here
Other news in this sector:
- 2023-11-27 Malaysia: Cultivating sustainable ways to feed the country
- 2023-11-27 "It's crucial to promote urban farming to boost healthy eating habits in cities"
- 2023-11-27 Ecuador’s blueberry industry is the 'new kid on the block' with 52 weeks supply advantage
- 2023-11-27 Cuba turns to aquaponics to solve food shortage
- 2023-11-27 Indonesian greenhouse sets record with 5.8 kg melon
- 2023-11-24 Little boy is a big fan of broccoli, sleeps with it but doesn't eat it
- 2023-11-24 Berry entrepreneurs in Huelva venture into the medical cannabis industry
- 2023-11-24 “We are only producing first-class products”
- 2023-11-23 US: Mushroom farm yields 800 to 1000lbs weekly
- 2023-11-23 Norway: “We’re matching import prices to break into the market”
- 2023-11-23 Retirement beckons for NZ watercress trailblazers
- 2023-11-23 Introducing North American consumers to greenhouse-grown radishes
- 2023-11-22 US (NC): New partnership creates first-ever indoor hydroponic coffee farm
- 2023-11-21 Namibia: 3 hectare greenhouse grows hydroponic tomatoes and cut flowers
- 2023-11-21 US: Carl Gupton new CEO of Greenswell Growers
- 2023-11-20 US: "Working hard for little in return"
