M O R I F O O D www.foodtechnology.co.nz 13 SCAMPI POTENTIAL MORE THAN JUST FROZEN COMMODITY A Maori fi shing company, scientists and engineers FT026 are more than halfway through a project to help refocus the New Zealand scampi industry from its current frozen commodity production to a live export trade…a move that could realise an estimated $200 million in annual potential. ‘Ka Hao te Rangatahi – Revolutionary Potting Technologies and Aquaculture for Scampi ‘ is being led by FoodHQ partner Cawthron Institute and funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment with $1.5m a year over six years. It will be the fi rst major advance in the scampi fi shery since it began in the 1980s. Lead scientist Dr Shaun Ogilvie says the programme started in 2013 and aims to develop more sustainable, commercially attractive harvesting methods, and establish land-based aquaculture systems for domestication. “The team is combining sustainable Maori harvesting methods with revolutionary technology to help achieve our goals,” Ogilvie says. “Its success will revolutionise the scampi industry in New Zealand.” Current annual export earnings from scampi are around $21 million, but the team believes the potential for the sector is far greater. “Through the development of more effi cient, effective and environmentally-friendly harvesting technologies, we’re aiming to support the industry to increase this to $200 million in annual exports by 2030,” Ogilvie says. Meanwhile, Callaghan Innovation general manager Maori economy Hemi Rolleston says Maori business has tended to be largely conservative, but that’s changing. Traditionally strong in primary sector industries, Maori need to look at value chains and indigenous product areas. “The world wants to hear about food safety, sustainability and traceability. It wants to know about provenance and people are looking for social responsibility when they buy,” Rolleston says. “Maori tick all those boxes and there’s a great story to tell about the people and the land. “You might have two very nice bottles of wine sitting next to each other; they both taste similar and sell for the same price. One has a good story about where it came from and how the money made from selling it goes back in the community. It’s going to sell better and that’s one area where Maori businesses are ahead of the game.”
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