Oats have been grown in Southland since the 1870s and the Southland and Otago regions of New Zealand are ideally suited to grow oats and other cold-climate crops. The Southland climate and highly versatile soils are key contributors to our high yields.
These natural advantages are strengthened through the supporting local and national research, infrastructure and commercial ecosystem.
Southland is among the top three oat growing regions in the world for yield and quality.
Here in Southland we have invested into understanding our soil with extensive studies into soils and what crop grows best where. This is a key contribution to minimizing our environmental footprint.
Research undertaken to understand soil types and what crops grow best where. Information sheets are designed to inform Southland people about the properties and sustainable land use potential of the soils in their region.
Data Sheets published for approx. 30 alternative crops considered to have the potential for commercial production in Southland. many of these had been grown for demonstration or research purposes at the New Crop Centre in Invercargill.
This was gathered to further understand soil types. This method measured nutrients in the soil as well as elemental traces to a depth of 700mm.
Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of land-based ecosystems, including restoring terrestrial and fresh water ecosystems. Oats contribute to this goal by reducing nitrate leaching by up to 30%. And at Functional Foods, we will be working to contributing to the local efforts to restore fresh water ecosystems, both directly and indirectly.
Significant areas of the Southland and Otago regions are ideal for growing oats, with versatile soils, high summer rainfall, high sunshine hours and a long growing season contributing to the production of exceptionally good oats and high yields.
Oats are an attractive crop as part of a rotational farming system. They are an ideal low input (water and fertiliser) crop and can be used as a catch crop to reduce nitrate leaching or a cover crop providing soil benefits and weed suppression between other crops or as time in pasture.
