Land Based
"Whakahokia ngā whenua o te Whakatōhea"
Dairy
Dairy farming is our core business activity. We have a dairy operation located on the Waioeka flats with an effective milking platform of 285.70 hectares with 1200 cows. The dairy operation produced 334,000 kilograms of milk solids in the 2008/09 season. The operation is run across two milking sheds under the management of a Dairy Manager, with an additional 23.7 hectares leased for maize silage production.
We are also a third owner in Te Waiti Lands Trust , which is a dairy farm on Omarumutu Road in partnership with Nukutere and Rāwea Lands Trust.
Dairy Support
Whakatōhea leases the 395 hectare Whakapaupākihi 6 & 7 block at Moutohora Road Motu. This block is used for the grazing of young dairy stock, heifers, calves , carry over cows, fattening of beef cattle as well providing grazing services to other operators.
Considerable investment in the 2007 / 2008 financial year has raised the standard for the grazing of young dairy stock. The Board employs a local farmer to manage the property under the control of its farm supervisor.
Kiwifruit
Te Totara and Tarata Orchard
The Whakatohea Maori Trust Board has two kiwifruit orchards on Apanui Road; Te Totara and Tarata orchard which are operated under a Joint Venture with Opotiki Packing & Coolstore (OPAC).
These orchards total 10.1 hectares giving 7.69 canopy hectares which produced 41,384 trays of Hayward kiwifruit in 2009.
Te Maara Orchard
The Board also has another 3.5 hectare orchard alongside Tarata comprising of 2.5 canopy hectares of Hayward Kiwifruit which has yet to produce a crop. 1/2 a hectare of the new G9 variety has been grafted.This property is managed by OPAC on behalf of the Board.
Forestry
The Waiteata No 2 Forest Partnership consists of 25 partners of which the Whakatōhea Maori Trust Board is one.
This forest block is situated 76 kilometres by road North of Gisborne on Tauwhareparae Road and comprises of 462 ha of freehold land of which 390 ha is planted in pinus radiata (1993 and 1994).