A South Canterbury orchardist has created a new icon on State Highway 1 to sell his fruit.
The bright blue barn just north of Timaru is unmissable by traffic driving up the main road. With a sign proclaiming it is the growers' market, it sells fresh produce from Waipopo Orchards and other local suppliers.
Waipopo Orchards owner Peter Bennett said he set up the outlet at the site 20 months ago. A year prior to that he had used a different site but chose this one for its obvious advantages.
Mr Bennett has been a fruitgrower all his life. His company has four orchards from Seadown to Pleasant Point, covering about 80ha. Another 40ha of land is being planted.
South Canterbury's climate is excellent for this type of horticulture, he said. The trees blossom at about the same time as their North Island counterparts, but the fruit is harvested much later. It then has higher sugars and pressure, making it sweeter and firmer.
Waipopo Orchards mainly supplies export markets, with the blue barn a chance for local consumers to sample the wares at wholesale prices.
Apples are one of the main crops. Apricots, peaches and nectarines are also popular.
Mr Bennett said he has been supplying Sainsbury's
in Britain ever since deregulation came in. It bought his Cox's Orange, gala and Braeburn apples.
One apple grown exclusively by Waipopo is ''honey crisp''. Mr Bennett brought it in from the United States and is now supplying markets there during their own off-season.
Noted for its sweet, extremely juicy, large-sized fruit, is also available at the blue barn this season.
Customers come from as far away as Christchurch for the stonefruit, Mr Bennett said. Apricots are in the shop from early January to May.
An increasing number of other local growers are approaching him to have their produce sold at the barn. There is a wide range of fruit and vegetables filling the shelves and chillers.
''We've built it up as we've gone along,'' he said.
It is open all-year-round, seven days a week, also providing employment.
''We try to encourage local people. It's been quite successful.''
Mr Bennett said export markets demand no residue on its fruit, so the produce is free of chemical risks.
Other people are now realising the benefits of orcharding in South Canterbury, with apples destined for export being planted at Makikihi.