Over 7000 hectares of land in Auckland is used for horticultural production.
Auckland's main horticultural produce includes onions, potatoes, kiwifruit, lettuce, broccoli, wine grapes, cabbage, olives, cauliflower, pumpkin, carrots, avocados and strawberries.
Horticultural production relies on access to fresh water and quality soils.
Franklin in the south has the majority of Auckland's quality soils and a significant proportion of Auckland's horticultural produce is grown here. Vineyards are becoming a feature of Auckland horticulture – there are now over 100 vineyards in Auckland, including notable activity in Matakana, Kumeū, Clevedon and Waiheke Island.
Technological change, such as enhanced harvesting efficiency, packaging and sorting, has resulted in
productivity gains in the horticultural industry.
In the medium to long-term, more technological change is expected. This will impact on how food is grown and processed, and will meet a growing demand for safe, fresh and healthy foods. It will also enable the production of larger volumes of food at a lower price.