9. COLIN KING (National—Kaikōura) Link to this
to the Minister for Economic Development
What measures has the Government undertaken to help New Zealand aquaculture companies take advantage of emerging offshore opportunities?
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Minister for Economic Development) Link to this
Last month I announced the addition of $550,000 to the aquaculture market development fund. It is a contestable fund, administered on a dollar-for-dollar matching basis. It is available to eligible companies for approved projects. That is in addition to the $600,000 announced last year for five projects that are focusing on opportunities to grow the markets in Asia and North America. Investment in New Zealand’s fastest-growing seafood sector will accelerate the industry’s programme to drive growth over the medium to longer term.
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE Link to this
I believe that the opportunities are very, very considerable indeed. One thing I have noticed is that in the year 2000 the aquaculture industry was about the same size as the wine industry in New Zealand. In the year 2009-10, the wine industry hit over a billion dollars in its export markets. The aquaculture industry had been about the same size as the wine industry, so for 9 years it has been an industry suppressed by the previous Government, given no encouragement, and asked to operate in an environment where it effectively went backwards. It did not grow in 9 years, because of Government policy. Well, we are changing that; we are putting a resource into that industry to ensure that it can grow—
Hon Parekura Horomia