That is the message from Hazelnut Growers Association of New Zealand (HGANZ) chairman Murray Redpath, who was in Central Otago recently for the organisation's annual meeting.
Mr Redpath, a hazelnut grower from eastern Bay of Plenty, believed hazelnuts could grow into one of the bigger horticultural industries in New Zealand.
A discussion document for the new HGANZ development plan was a focus for discussion among about 40 growers at the meeting.
The document said plantings had grown to more than 400ha but orchards had been removed in the past two years, as returns failed to reach expected levels.
Harvesting was emerging as a problem. It was taking too much time and was too laborious for the returns received.
Tree nuts were in demand in world markets but to compete successfully on the international market, growers might need to improve orchard efficiency, systems of traceability and combine to achieve the scale required to supply the larger international markets. Alternatively, growers could develop ways to grow the local market.
During the past 10 years, land-use change in New Zealand had been dominated by the expansion of dairying but that expansion had created environmental problems in some areas.
Alternative land uses were required in the most environmentally sensitive areas and hazelnuts were probably suited to most of those locations, the document said.
HGANZ, supported by the New Zealand Tree Crops Association and the MPI Sustainable Farming Fund, had projects under way to determine the yields being achieved in New Zealand orchards and regional variations in nut quality, Mr Redpath said.
Hazelnut growers now had a wide range of imported and locally produced harvesters, and discussion was turning to developing the most economical harvesting systems, possibly using contractors.
Harvesting was a big issue. People started with a small harvester which was "fine", but when it got to the stage where they were spending 19 or 20 days picking up a harvest, it started to "get annoying and they lose enthusiasm".
One of the problems with small blocks was it was difficult to get the economic efficiencies required.
But that challenge was no different from those faced by any other new crop or emerging industry, he said.
He was surprised there was so little interest in alternative crops, such as nuts, by planners struggling with ways to make maximum use of irrigation water without causing further pollution of waterways.
Investigations in the catchments of the Rotorua lakes and Lake Taupo were showing the difficulty of economically altering intensive livestock management systems to achieve lower levels of nitrogen leaching.
Land-use changes were proposed as the main method for controlling nitrogen leaching and conversion to lifestyle blocks or forestry were the main options being suggested.
Some of that land was suited to hazelnut production and that seemed a far more productive option.
A similar case could be made for the South Island wetlands or the catchments of rivers such as the Manawatu.
While ratepayers and taxpayers had spent a lot of money on waterways, little money had been spent on alternative land use options in catchments, he said.
The development of a large nut industry would act to diversify New Zealand's horticultural export mix and help the Government achieve its aim of expanding the value of food and beverage exports.
The industry was at a stage where it had probably almost filled the top niche markets. Work was now being done with market demand overseas.
There was a lot of demand from China in the past 18 months and Vietnam was also emerging as a significant market.
The association would like to improve nut consumption in New Zealand and grow the local market.
Mr Redpath has been growing hazelnuts since 1982. Like many other sheep and beef farmers farming at that time, he was looking for alternatives.
For nearly 10 years, he has leased out most of his property.
He also has a small nursery, propagating trees, and the largest collection of hazelnut genetic material in New Zealand.
HGANZ has about 100 grower members and it had become a lot more vibrant. Meetings were held throughout the growing areas and growers got to know each other, which led to greater feedback between them and also back to the association.
"I think the organisation is on a bit of a roll," he said.