At the conclusion of one of the best pea harvests ever, Heinz Wattie’s is moving its attention to the impending bean harvest, estimated to be around 10,000 tonnes. The company is making a NZ$1.6 million investment in upgrading the bean processing line at its Hornby, Canterbury plant.
Christchurch operations manager Trevor Biggs says the investment in new equipment and technology will lead to a step-up in processing quality.
Upgrading of the lines includes addition of new washing equipment, automated sorters and equipment for dealing with clusters of beans as they come through from the harvest. It advances the plant’s sustainability goals by reducing water use and bean wastage.
“Because beans are a ground crop which is neither shelled (like peas) or peeled (like carrots) they are perhaps the most difficult crop we process. The harvesting process picks up foreign matter, and it is a significant challenge to eliminate bean stalks and field material,” says Biggs.
“The automated colour sorter technology will help us discard stalks, stones and dirt picked up with beans. We will achieve improvements in the quality, efficiency and competitiveness of our bean operations,” he adds.
The bean harvest directly follows the company’s Canterbury pea season which has been characterised by high yields and very good quality crops, well suited to the current export and domestic market demand for retail grade products.
The successful pea season is the result of a very favourable growing season featuring regular rainfall and moderate temperatures. Heinz Wattie’s contracts 220 Canterbury farmers to grow pea crops, and assigns a company agronomist to work with each farmer.
South Island agricultural manager Mark Daniels believes that this close liaison with growers provides them with sustainable returns and gives Heinz Wattie’s greater certainty over product quality and required volume.
“This season most growers have received higher than average returns for their pea crops.”
The company’s agricultural research staff selects high performing pea varieties from around the world, and through its partnership in a long standing Canterbury-based pea breeding program.
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