Hawkes Bay Economic Development
From the first wave of 19th century European settlement and up until relatively recent years, pastoral farming dominated the economic, social and political direction of Hawke’s Bay. Serviced early on by Meat Processors exporting frozen lamb through the Port of Napier to the growing United Kingdom Market, and Wool and Hide Processors, the pastoral sector continued to flourish. Following World War II the extensive and fertile Heretaunga plains surrounding the cities of Hastings and Napier became equally well known for it’s rapidly developing orcharding industry. The establishment of J Wattie Canneries (Now Heinz-Wattie) supported and accelerated this development, and now the growing, freezing, canning, dehydrating and export of a vast range of food crops and added value food products has developed and combined to form one of Hawke’s Bay’s most important industries and employers.
More recently Hawke’s Bay became recognised as containing soil types, and over substantial areas an environment considered ideal for the cultivation of cool climate Bordeaux style wine grapes. While wine grapes have been established in the Bay since the 19th century, it was not until the late 1970’s and 1980’s that the major wine industry in its present form was established. Today Hawke’s Bay is one of New Zealand’s largest grape growing and wine making regions and has achieved considerable international recognition for many of its wine styles and wineries.
Filed under: Advice, Investment, Moving to New Zealand
