Cool Storage is an important part of the horticulture sector, and as the industry grows, the need for it increases, Horticulture New Zealand chief executive Peter Silcock says.
After attending the annual cold storage conference in Wellington last month, Mr Silcock spoke about the importance of cool storage to maximising marketable yield and extending the marketing season of horticultural products.
''The horticulture industry is a six billion-dollar industry and a high amount of the industry relies on cool storage,'' he said.
''Consistent industry growth will require more cool storage capacity.''
At present, the kiwifruit industry was recovering and there had been more planting of varieties of apple, which would all require more storage.
Mr Silcock said cool storage was valuable for a number of reasons, including being able to store product for longer. Businesses were generally harvesting for about three to four months but selling for six to seven months, so needed the cool storage. In tests carried out in Australia, cooling products to about 2degC or 3degC for about 10 days had been effective against fruit fly.
''This is another role cool storage can play in biosecurity areas,'' he said.
The horticulture industry had also seen the introduction of new varieties of some products, and new products were being introduced all the time.
Mr Silcock said the Cold Storage Association needed to be able to keep up to date with the requirements of the new varieties, including their harvesting and storage, as that would have an impact on seasonal storage capacity required.
In Central Otago, it was critical for businesses to be aware of growing industries, because as more people required cool storage, less would be available, he said.
The key was constant communication between the two industries, as one could not grow without the other.
The next step for the Cold Storage Association was talking to specific businesses about their processes of growing and exporting.
''There is a need for increased capacity and they [the Cold Storage Association] is aware of that; it is important for them to get a picture of that,'' Mr Silcock said.