HORTNEWS JANUARY 2020, ISSUE 8
Making pears cool again! – Page 6
ISSN 2624-3490 (print) ISSN 2624-3504 (online)
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Another good season picked
Peter Burke peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
IT’S EARLY days yet, but there are promising signs of it being another good year for kiwifruit. Zespri’s chief grower and alliances officer, Dave Courtney told Hort News that the feedback from growers on the state of the vines is very positive. He
says towards the end of last year, flower numbers and pollination was looking good. He’s heard nothing that would suggest there were any problems. This news comes on the back of a good season for Zespri, which for the first time saw more gold kiwifruit sold in the market that the traditional green variety. Courtney says that the higher
price paid in the market for gold meant that grower returns were better than in past years. And with more gold being planted, all being well, returns to growers will continue to increase. “Last season saw volumes slightly down on the previous season and the size of fruit was also smaller. But the quality was better and the season
started earlier which allowed us to put strong volumes into the marketplace and that continued throughout the year. Courtney says Zespri plans to release more licenses for Gold this year and for the coming two years. He says there is good demand for the fruit based on market signals and Zespri has
to be nimble enough to manage the growth in demand. But he concedes that there will come a point when this may slow. Courtney adds that work is also being done in the plant breeding programme to develop a green kiwi fruit which is ‘ready to eat’ when it reaches supermarket shelves.
MILESTONE FOR AHUWHENUA NEXT MONTH will see the first finalists competing for the prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy in horticulture announced at Parliament. Up until now, the competition has rotated between the sheep & beef and dairy sectors. However, with Maori making a significant contribution to the horticultural sector – especially but not exclusively in kiwifruit – it has been decided to include horticulture into the mix. The announcement of the finalists will be made on February 21 and during the next two months field days will be held at the properties of the finalists. The winner will be revealed at the end of May at an awards function in Tauranga. A brand new Ahuwhenua trophy for Horticulture has been especially made for the competition. The trophy – similar to the one for sheep & beef and dairy contests – was manufactured in England and is mounted on a special carved base. When the new trophy was unveiled at the HortNZ conference last year, chair of the Ahuwhenua Trophy management committee Kingi Smiler said the time was right to celebrate the achievements of Maori
Hort NZ chair Barry O’Neill; Maori Development Minister Nania Mahuta and Ahuwhenua Trophy committee chair Kingi Smiler at the unveiling of the new hort trophy at last year’s Hort NZ conference
in horticulture. “During the last ten years in particular, Maori have become major investors in the sector and this has resulted in good
financial returns and jobs for our people,” he said. “But there is still much more to done and I am sure with the positive publicity that the Ahuwhenua
Trophy competition generates, will encourage more Maori to become involved in the sector.” Smiler added that the Ahuwhenua Trophy competi-
tion had the mana and prestige, which no other event in Aotearoa had. “The prospect of winning this beautiful cup will surely be an incentive.”
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HORTNEWS
JANUARY 2020
Horticulture in search of growth capital Con Williams
THE TWO most significant growth areas in the primary sector are currently horticulture and forestry. Forestry is sourcing capital from a range of places such as private investors, government support programmes and foreign investment to fund its growth. However, in the horticulture sector the sources of growth capital are more limited. There is no direct government incentives and both foreign investment and bank credit terms are restrictive at present. This leaving it largely to New Zealand owner-operators and companies with some support from banks to fund growth. It’s an unusual time in many respects with the good market returns and expanding production since 2012 defying many of the normal 101 rules of economics that apply to fresh produce and food products. In terms of sector expansion in horticulture,
Export companies are generally targeting affluent market segments in high growth Asian countries and traditional western markets. The cherry industry is a great example having become a luxury good purchased for festive occasions during the Chinese New Year which has supported prices.
the big three of vineyards, kiwifruit and apples are leading the charge with their greater critical mass, which allows them to move quickly. However, in terms of the rate of growth there are some other rising stars with increasing critical mass such as hops, cherries and manuka honey. The sectors are delivering unique products, often with protected intellectual property. The best current example is SunGoldTM kiwifruit, which is protected under licence for the next 20 years. It has been both a market hit, but also yields well. There are many other examples across the pipfruit and berry sectors. Export companies are generally targeting affluent market segments in high growth Asian coun-
tries and traditional western markets. The cherry industry is a great example having become a luxury good purchased for festive occasions during the Chinese New Year which has supported prices. Operators within the sector are often vertically integrated and there is often a high degree of collaboration between supply chain participants. This results in efficiencies, consistent quality and market access to desired consumers. In a development that was unthinkable a decade ago, the New Zealand cherry sector, for example, is selling increased volumes through e-commerce channels in Asia which accelerates the time it takes for a product to get to the consumer and this
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Finally, the sector has a great record of applying best practice management from orchard through to the end customer and innovating through all stages of the supply chain, from production to processing, storage and distribution. Thanks to these factors, the sector’s growth has been fantastic. But it has also brought with it challenges. The perennial issue of access to labour at key times of the year has become more acute, the growing demand for water is seeing the need for new investment in dams and irrigation technology, while root stock of key cultivars is sometimes limited. What is perhaps more surprising is the recent tightening in the sector’s access to capital to help solve some of these issues and fund further expansion. This is a surprise especially since the current blueprint is lifting confidence in the sector’s ability to maintain the current healthy earn-
MyFarm’s head of investment research Con Williams.
ings performance into the future. The main culprits of tightening access to capital is the government’s current restrictions on foreign investment in New Zealand farmland and tighter bank credit. Of course, money never sleeps, and others are stepping up to the plate. Many involved in the kiwifruit sector are using recent earnings to diversify and invest in other horticultural sectors. Iwi groups are doing a similar thing with treaty settlements and to provide employment opportunities. There are also some new institutional investors that are building horticultural portfolios. In MyFarm’s case we are partnering with others in the various sectors to create investment opportunities. This can take a range of forms depending on the opportunity and
partner requirements. A great example is the commercialisation of RockitTM apples where demand for the product is well outstripping supply. In this case, MyFarm investors are helping provide capital to support production and RockitTM takes care of everything else. These relationships are providing a new avenue for those outside of the sectors to put their money to work in an area that has traditionally been difficult to access. ( Up to 24.9% of a business/farmland greater than 5 hectares can be owned by foreign investment without regulatory approval). • Con Williams is head of investment research for MyFarm, which syndicates primary sector investment opportunities for wholesale investors. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews
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HORTNEWS
JANUARY 2020
Crisp future ahead for NZ’s horticultural sector – exporter MORE HANDS NEEDED
Nigel Malthus
HORTICULTURE IS “on the boom,” says Freshco director John Mangan. “With its temperate climate, surrounded by sea, New Zealand is in a very, very good spot for the future, with apple growers, kiwifruit growers and others all gearing up for increased production,” he told Hort News. Freshco, or The Fresh Fruit Company of New Zealand, is a major exporter of apples and other produce – exporting 1.5 million cartons of apples alone each year. About a third of that comes from Freshco’s own orchards and packhouse in Hawkes Bay. Around a third from a group of partner orchards with a packhouse in Nelson and the rest from a variety of growers around the country. Mangan says Freshco puts a lot of marketing effort into Asia. The company has a Tokyobased marketing manager and a big presence at the Asia Fruit Logistica trade show in Hong Kong each September. Freshco no longer participates in a joint New Zealand stand at the show, but instead sets up its own space off-
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Freshco director John Mangan in one of the company’s apple orchards. SUPPLIED/ Freshco
site – taking advantage of the fact that all Asia’s main fruit buyers and supermarket chains are in Hong Kong for the week. “All our customers turn up and you can meet them all in one space,” he says. “It’s the first chance to meet for the new season. You’re still in the old season but it’s
a precursor for setting up things for the following year.” Last year, the company used the event to launch new branding for its own PVR (Plant Variety Rights) apples, in particular Sonya and Breeze. Mangan says Freshco has planted significant volumes of Sonya and
Breeze in the last four to five years and they are now being harvested in commercial quantities. The company also grows “standard” varieties such as Royal Gala, Queen, and Pink Lady. Braeburn, an acidic variety less suited to sweeter Asian palates, is grown for the Europe market.
Mangan says establishing a new variety orchard is a long-term process with “frightening” capital costs and it takes four to five years to get a mature apple crop from it. But the New Zealand apple industry has swung towards Asia since a major collapse of the European market for New
JOHN MANGAN says the downside for the industry – and not just for apples – is getting enough workers. “You have to pick when it’s ripe. If you have to leave on the trees unpicked or pick too late and it’s gone over its maturity criteria, you can’t sell that stuff,” he told Hort News. “We’re always scrambling, and we are bringing in labour from the Pacific Islands. We house them and we look after them and it’s critical that we get that support just to get the fruit off the trees.” Mangan says there is not yet any mechanical harvesting system suitable for fruit crops. “You have to pick them by hand. And we need more hands.” While Government is sometimes criticised for complicated policies around migrant labour, Mangan says it’s not a simple issue. Growers want to be able to employ local people, but it’s about skills. Pickers also need housing. “You can’t just put everyone up in a caravan or a tent. So, the infrastructure around that has to happen reasonably quickly – within the next four or five years, I’d say.”
Zealand Braeburns in 2005. At that stage over 60% of New Zealand apples went to Europe. “Last year 65% of our apples were varieties they like in Asia – which are usually redder and sweeter - and we’ve had probably one of the best
years ever,” he explains. “Asia’s on our doorstep. It’s not six weeks away by sea; it’s two to three weeks. And it’s not just China; Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, all those countries are right on New Zealand’s doorstep.
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HORTNEWS
JANUARY 2020
Winegrower wins a Nuffield THE OTHER SCHOLARS
Tessa Nicholson
FOR THE first time in 45 years, a member of New Zealand’s wine industry has won a Nuffield Scholarship. Ben Mclauchlan, from Marlborough, is one of five recently announced NZ scholars who will spend the next 12 months in international research. He hopes this will provide him information to deliver back to the wine industry here at home. The owner of a 102ha vineyard and 30ha beef finishing unit, Mclauchlan has degrees in commerce, viticulture and oenology and was a commercial partner for BNZ in Marlborough. He applied for a Nuffield Scholarship as a means of studying overseas. “The chance to study with an overseas focus programme really appealed. Especially in primary industries, which is exactly what I am doing in my day job,” he told Hort News. Originally, Mclauchlan wanted to concentrate his study outside viticulture, looking at precision agriculture and its place in other primary industries, and technology that could perhaps be transferred to viticulture, notably because of the need to reduce the use of fossil fuels and reliance on
NEW ZEALAND has five Nuffield Scholars for 2020. Besides Ben Mclauchlan they are Tracy Brown, a dairy farmer from Northland; Shannon Harnett, a chartered accountant with experience in dairy, sheep and beef farming and horticulture; Edward Pinckney, a dryland farmer near Ohai in Southland; and Phil Weir, owner of a drystock property near Hamilton. The Nuffield Scholarship was established just after WWII by philanthropist Lord Nuffield, initially for British and Empire farmers. The idea was to recognise farming’s contribution to feeding a nation during the war and as a method of advancing best practice in agriculture around the world. Since the first two scholars were announced in 1947, at least 1000 have taken part annually. Marlborough winegrower Ben Mclauchlan is the first member of New Zealand’s wine industry to win a Nuffield Scholarship.
labour. “Both are scarce resources and only going to become even more scarce and more expensive moving forwards.” However, Mclauchlan says the further he’s got into the scholarship, the more he has has realised that the original goal was huge. “The more I think about it, I have wondered if that is too big to bite off.” So now he is leaving his options
open, having realised that defining his long-term goal too early may stymie any chance of gaining broader knowledge. The Nuffield Scholarship comprises a conference for all scholars internationally, followed by a six-week tour of countries with a smaller group of eight or nine. For this six-week tour, Mclauchlan has elected a tour of Singapore, Philippines, Japan, Israel, Nether-
lands, Washington DC and California. He hopes the weeks in different countries will highlight the problem he wants to focus on for his final component during another eight to 10 weeks of individual travel and study. At the end of the 12 months he expects to share what he has learned and engage with key stakeholders. These will be New Zealand Winegrowers, Wine Marlborough and the Bragato Research Institute. “For me it’s delivering back to those
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HORTNEWS
JANUARY 2020
NZ to host world avocado congress in 2023 Pam Tipa pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz
NZ AVOCADO beat the odds by winning the hosting rights to the 10th World Avocado Congress in 2023. But despite our small industry size of just 1.5% of world exports, it will definitely have something to showcase at the event, Jen Scoular, NZ Avocado chief executive told Hort News. Sustainability is a big topic in avocados globally, she says. “We know media has been quite rampant about some issues which are playing out the central South American developments of avocados,” Scoular told Hort News. “Even though we are tiny we can take a lead in developing how the industry becomes more sustainable across a number of the targets – the United Nations 17 sustainable development goals for example. “This is a really good opportunity for us to showcase how we are developing a sustainable avocado industry in New Zealand.” Scouler says it is also an opportunity for all avocado growers in New Zealand to hear first-hand from experts about current and emerging innovation and technology.
Up to 3000 delegates are expected at the congress, for which New Zealand won hosting rights against competitors such as Mexico, the world’s largest avocado exporter. Showcasing and spinoff benefits will go beyond the industry itself. When pushing for the congress here, they promoted the idea of an opportunity to see “the most amazing country in the world”. New Zealand as a global producer of premium foods will be promoted at the congress. “In any of our activity we will be looking at how we can share the other successes of New Zealand,” said Scoular. “We will certainly be using New Zealand meat for example. We will make sure the food and wine is showcasing this country. “We are very close to Zespri and kiwifruit in the regions we grow in. I am sure delegates will be interested in the amazing global success of Zespri and our apple industry.” Delegates will primarily come from central and South American and a contingent of up to 500 could be expected from Australia, which has an industry about five times bigger than ours. Hard work, strategic planning and a team effort by several agen-
cies went into New Zealand winning the bid, says Scoular. Without that huge effort, the congress definitely would not have come to New Zealand. Venues in Auckland, Rotorua and possibly
elsewhere are under consideration. The fire-ravaged SkyCity Convention Centre was one of those options “and probably still is in four years”. A feasibility study has been done and meetings
with Tourism New Zealand are planned. “We have been at a couple of workshops already about hosting international conferences. There are 20 international conferences coming to
New Zealand in the next 18 months, some very small but some larger ones. “We will utilise the knowledge and experience of other sectors or entities and organisations
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New Zealand’s Ambassador to Colombia Lucy Duncan and NZ Avocado CEO Jen Scoular following the bid win announcement.
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that are hosting international conferences.” They are happy to learn from others about pluses and minuses in conference organisations and will share their own learnings.
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HORTNEWS
JANUARY 2020
Making pears cool again! Peter Burke peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
A MOVE to increase the acreage and popularity of pears is gaining momentum. A new variety called Piqa Boo is now being grown for both the domestic and local market. It’s hoped that this, and other new varieties of pears, can lead to the renaissance of what was once a popular fruit. The term apples and pears is used in horticultural statistics. However, in volume terms, apples account for about 96% of total value and pears a mere 4%. The steady decline of the pear – to the benefit of apples – has been happening over many decades and is due mainly to the innovation in breeding new varieties of apples and virtually nothing being done in regard to pears. In the early days, fruit growing was something of a cottage industry. But after years of producer boards and deregulation in the early 2000’s led to major changes. Today there are very few small-scale orchards. Paul Paynter is a director and group general manager of a large and wellestablished Hawkes Bay orchard operation, Johnny Appleseed. Paynter says in the apple industry there were 1800 operators 20 years ago, but now that’s been whittled down to about 250. “In respect of pears, back in the 1950s, my grandfather grew more
pears than apples on this orchard,” he explains. “Today we have about 30 acres of pears and 500 acres of apples and 180 acres of stone fruit – which includes apricots, nectarines, peaches, plums and cherries.” A challenge for Paynter and the family-owned business is the international market. But he says with the advent of new planting of Piqa Boo, export is now a key
HELLO PIQA BOO!
Paul Payntor director and group general manager of Hawkes Bay orchard operation, Johnny Appleseed.
A labour of love PAUL PAYNTER employs 350 FTE’s, but at the peak of the season up to 700 people can be working on various tasks around the business. Labour, he says, remains one of the biggest challenges. “It’s really hard to get people now and we are scraping the bottom of the barrel. We have vans going into WINZ offices in Napier and Hastings every day at the peak of the season to pick up anyone who wants work,” Paynter told Hort News. “We have had prisoner rehabilitation programmes and all sorts of things to get labour, but it is not available on the scale that that you need. This comes at the same time as horticulture has boomed with extra plantings,” he adds. “Once upon a time we had queues of 100 people wanting jobs. But now days, if you advertise no one turns up. The world has definitely changed.” Paynter says mechanical harvesting is often touted as the answer. Technology already plays a part in the sector with things such as GPS on tractors, post-harvest sorting and packaging – as well as elevated working platforms for harvesting fruit instead of ladders. He says all of these are great and save money and time. But Paynter warns that the actual mechanical harvesting of fruit is at least a decade away. He believes the challenge with technology is that it needs smart people to run and maintain it.
target. He’s excited about how much some Asian markets for quality fruit and how fast one can grow these markets. This aside, they have a significant focus on the domestic market where they feel they can have more control of their own destiny. They invest heavily in building relationships with supermarkets and employ three staff whose job is it is to makes things work in store for them and the supermarkets. Paynter’s father is also on the road and last year visited more than 200 stores to ensure produce managers understand all about the product. “In some cases, there is a lack of knowledge
about fruit, so we take it upon ourselves to support produce managers, some of whom are relatively new to the job,” Paynter says. He points to the innovation that has taken place with apples and kiwifruit as examples of what is possible. Paynter says the varieties of pears on the market are very old, traditional ones and – in many cases – require ripening after they have been bought in the supermarket. “They are not ready to eat like other fruits,” he says.
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THE PEAR industry is effectively playing catchup and spearheading the race is a new variety of pears being developed under the Piqa brand. It’s burnished, dark red in colour and is appealing visually, but also meets the good taste test. Paul Paynter – director and group general manager of large, Hawkes Bay orchard operation, Johnny Appleseed – is one of many orchardists who are growing these new varieties of pears with 10,000 trees grafted and producing fruit. The new Piqa Boo fruit has known appeal in Asian markets where high quality fruit such as this is seen as being up to the standard of ‘gift fruit’ – in other words of a box with a single or multiple fruit in it would be seen as a very acceptable present to give to a friend. Paynter’s views about the market are echoed by Mike Van Workum, the supply manager for Fern Ridge Fresh – an apple and pear marketing company. Van Workum says gift packs are becoming more common in Asia – especially Japan and the Piqa series of pears fits neatly into this market niche. He says the pear industry in NZ has shrunk and there are only a small number of orchardists growing pears “The Piqa Boo has created a good opportunity to diversify their existing pear operations into something that is focused on the Asian customer,” Van Workum told Hort News. “You have a bright red piqa boo pear – which has a watery texture, it’s got a lot of flavour and suits an Asian type eating habit. It’s going to change the approach of where we are going to market to and it’s different time frame.” The success of the Piqa brand is due to the role of an organisation called Prevar, which was set up after deregulation of the industry to manage the breeding of new apple and pear varieties and to hold the intellectual property (IP) rights. Its two major shareholders are Apple and Pears NZ and Plant and Food Research – with Apple and Pears Australia also involved. Piqa is what is known as the family brand and each specific variety has its own name. So Piqa Boo is the name of the new pear that’s now on the market. Prevar is essentially an IP company and it acts as the liaison organisation between Plant and Food and the industry. Chief executive Brett Ennis says funding for Prevar comes from the two shareholders – until such time it becomes financially self-sufficient from IP-use royalties, which is forecast to happen in the next 2-3 years. Breeding new varieties of any fruit is a lengthy process – somewhere between 15 and 20 years from original concept to final commercialisation. The breeding of new interspecific pear varieties was started by Dr Alan White of Plant and Food back in the 1980s. For Ennis, and the growers and marketing people, the challenge is trying to anticipate consumers’ trends – 20 years out. He accepts that pears as a fruit have been in the doldrums, but believes with the new Piqa series of varieties, the popularity of the fruit can be revived
HORTNEWS
JANUARY 2020
Hard yards on family farm pays off Sudesh Kissun sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
HARVESTING 15 tonnes of cabbage in hailstorms and hand weeding paddocks under a scorching sun made a perfect training ground for Austin Singh Purewal. The 18-year-old, who won the NZ Young Vegetable Grower of the Year award two months ago, says the hard work on the family farm is paying off. Purewal, the youngestever to win the title, told Hort News that although growing up on the family farm wasn’t easy, he enjoyed the challenges. “Had we not experienced the hardships of cutting 15 tonnes of cabbage in hail storms, or hand weeding hectare blocks of produce in the scorching sun, my brother and I wouldn’t have shaped up to be the men we are today. “I wouldn’t have
been able to win the young grower award and I wouldn’t be able to accomplish what I already have at age 18.” Purewal recalls having an eye for technology as a boy: looking at inventions for picking and packing produce to make things easy for farmers and workers on-farm. From a young age, Purewal was also introduced to financial planning in business. “The interest in money was my key driving force as from a young age my brother and I ran our own stalls in farmers’ markets. We saw customers buying our hard work. “We were able to experience how to handle and generate income through selling fresh produce which was benefiting the community and teaching us life skills.” Working on the family farm was also fun, like walking the brassica crops
NZ Young Vegetable Grower of the Year Austin Singh Purewal.
and in the orchard with the dog after school and riding quads. One company closely associated with Purewal and the family business was T&G (formerly Turners & Growers), a major global buyer/supplier of fruits and vegetables.
After winning the Pukekohe regional young grower contest earlier this year, Purewal was offered a job in T&G, a dream come true, he says. “I really love working for T&G as I can remember from age four tagging along with dad and
dropping off fresh produce at the Mount Wellington floors, then going to McDonald’s afterwards for a mean feed. “I’ve always had a relationship with T&G. Now being part of a business we have been dealing with most of my life is
truly special. “I love the fact that working for T&G isn’t working with other employees or employers. I’m working with other family members, as being an 18-year-old starting fresh in the corporate world T&G has been nothing but a family to me.” He acknowledges T&G’s contribution to his fledgling career. “They’ve made my journey into the company truly special by taking me under their wing, nourishing me with knowledge and nurturing me to success in the horticultural industry. “I enjoy that we supply fresh produce not only here in New Zealand but globally and that’s what touches me in my heart -- that I’m part of a company that is all over the world, supplying fresh produce to people everywhere.”
Purewal sees the world as his oyster. He sees himself stepping up to a management role in the next five to 10 years. A return to the family farm one day isn’t out of the question. But like most horticulture farmers and stakeholders, Purewal is worried about looming changes to land and water use. He believes the Government should work closely with farmers and should do more to support the younger generations, especially women, to move into horticulture. He sees himself staying in the horticultural industry if the Government “pulls finger”. “If the Government puts plans together to promote horticulture and provide support to our younger generations who want to start their own horticultural businesses and stay in the game.”
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From vineyard and orchard work to gardening, landscaping and municipal work, the new and completely redesigned and rebuilt 5DS, 5DV, 5DF and 5DF Ecoline series is the highly innovative specialist tractor that will surpass your exacting demands.
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HORTNEWS
JANUARY 2020
Workhorse gets makeover Mark Daniel markd@ruralnews.co.nz
LIKE MANY of Toyota’s product ranges, the Hiace series has a history that dates back five decades. The arrival of its fifth series in 2019, sees the hardy workhorse being radically reworked for the next decade. Already incredibly popular in New Zealand, the Hiace is the country’s 11th most popular vehicle for overall sales and captures around 40% of all van sales each year. The latest incarnation must be high on the wishlist for vegetable growers or horticulturalists with
product to transport, especially those who head out on the weekend to add value at farmers markets. Offered in five variations, with two body sizes and two body types, our ride for a week in early December, was the ZX, four door model. It certainly raised the eyebrows of the domestic manager, who was more used to seeing a stream of SUV’s or utes on the driveway. Fitted with the wellknown 1GD-2.8 litre turbo diesel – as used in the ubiquitous Hilux – the powerplant pushes
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RURAL NEWS TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS
The new Hiace van should be high on the wish-list for vegetable growers or horticulturalists with product to transport.
out 130Kw, up 30Kw on the previous series. This comes alongside a torque output that is 50% more at 450Nm – mated to a six-speed auto transmission. The result is a drive that is brisk by any standards, that belies the size of the vehicle and – in many cases – results in more compact vehicles being left for dead in a traffic light drag race. And, let’s be clear, size is what the ZX is about. Overall dimensions see a length of 5265mm— up
570mm on the previous version – an increased body width of 1950mm, a height of 1990mm and a payload of 1170 kg. That all adds up to an integral load space of 9300 litres, allowing a load length of 3395mm, 1775mm width over the wheel arches and 1610mm load height – making the Hiace ZX truly cavernous. The layout offers a semi-bonnet front-end, allowing the engine and front wheels to be located forward of the front seats, meaning there’s more
comfort, easier access, less cabin noise and a lot of steel up front to protect the occupants in a forward impactconfirmed with a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Offering an elevated driving position, all sizes are accommodated with a height adjustable seat, allowing excellent forward and lateral visibility and complimented by the rear side windows and dualzone, rear -view mirrors. This latest Hiace also features the latest
developments in driver safety. It comes with the company’s Safety Sense Suite and delivery high-end functions like autonomous emergency braking, lane departure alert with a vehicle sway warning, road sign assist and automated high beam control. Add in trailer sway control, rear cross traffic alerts, reversing camera and front and rear parking sensors and you’ll see the Hiace is particularly well equipped – a reassurance given this vehicle is nearly 20 feet
long. In the cabin, the controls fall easily to hand with a logical layout, typical of Toyota’s design strategy, with a 7-inch touchscreen audio unit front and centre, that covers areas such as Satnav, blue tooth and voice recognition. The Hiace offers many options, given that the load space is so voluminous – lending itself to pure transport duties or configured to meet individual requirements.
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