Maize

In the 2021/22 production season, approximately 196,000 tonnes of grain and 1,200,00 tonnes of silage were produced, making maize one of New Zealand’s most important arable crops.

(AIMI report, June 1, 2022)

The crop has two main end uses.

PBRA member companies source hybrids from overseas breeding companies, this is followed by extensive local observation and yield evaluation.  This ensures that hybrids provided to New Zealand growers are high yielding, environmentally stable and are resistant to several important diseases.

Maize is both deep rooted and an efficient user of soil available water. As a result, there is an increasing focus on the environmental benefits of growing maize with the application of best management practices such as reduced tillage, nutrient balancing and the use of catch / cover crops after harvest. Maize silage is a high energy feed which will increase productivity of dairy cows while making a positive contribution to the dairy farm system.