Fruit of the Kiwis

ON a whistlestop tour of New Zealand we travelled over 3,500 miles in less than three weeks, searching out artisan food producers, funky restaurants and wine, on both the North and South Islands.

From a tourist’s viewpoint, New Zealand is a beautiful country with a fascinating indigenous culture, diverse environments and ecological integrity.

New Zealand is about twice the land mass of Ireland with the same population. There are no agricultural subsidies - when they were withdrawn there was a painful period of adjustment, which has resulted in a highly efficient dairy, meat and fruit industry. All over the countryside there are farm shops and farm stands where farmers and food producers sell directly to the public, and farmers’ markets are gathering momentum.