Global Trends in Vegetables Q4 2025
Key themes in this Global Trends update:
Australia tightens seed testing and packaging traceability; Indonesia resets import workflows; Fiji remains a compliant near-neighbour. At the same time, innovation accelerates: AI laser weeding, greenhouse robotics/digital twins, CE-marked biostimulants, parametric frost/heat cover and UK precision-breeding pilots.
1. Australia tightens seed testing for tomatoes/capsicum amid ToBRFV
Global Insight: Australia has listed authorised labs for ToBRFV/ToMMV testing and from 12 Nov 2025 will accept only reports from these labs for tomato and capsicum seed imports. This follows first Australian detections and a national shift from eradication to management. Expect tighter import compliance and seed-lot friction.
NZ Relevance: NZ glasshouse tomatoes/telegraph cucumbers rely on clean seed supply and trans-Tasman biosecurity alignment. Suppliers into Australia face extra lead time and paperwork; local nurseries need demonstrable testing chains.
NZ Advantage Play: Form a NZ Seed Health Consortium with accredited labs and nurseries to pre-qualify seed tests for AU acceptance and publish shared SOPs.
Sources: Australian DAFF (1 Oct 2025); DAFF authorised labs page (1 Oct 2025); Australian Govt Outbreak update (14 Aug 2025); QLD/AgVic updates (29–30 May 2025)
2. Australia moves on circular packaging and recycled-content traceability
Global Insight: Canberra’s circular economy program confirms regulatory packaging reform and a national recycled-content traceability framework (v2, Mar 2025). Major retailers publish packaging ambitions and are under scrutiny on plastics. Timelines extend to 2026 for broader reforms.
NZ Relevance: Fresh veg into AU (carrots, leafy greens, potatoes, tomatoes) must show verifiable recyclability and recycled content claims. Supplier scorecards increasingly incorporate the Australian Recycling Label/traceability.
NZ Advantage Play: Shift clamshells/nets to AU-preferred substrates and pilot recycled-content traceability on tomato/cuke packs using the AU framework.
Sources: DCCEEW (Jan & Mar 2025); Woolworths Sustainability Report (27 Aug 2025); Woolworths packaging page (2025); AMCS “Unwrapped” coverage (22 Nov 2024)
3. Japan leans into smart-ag and decarbonisation exports
Global Insight: MAFF’s 2025 tech push highlights automation, smart greenhouses and digital tools; companion initiatives encourage overseas deployment of GHG-cutting ag tech. NTT is prototyping digital-twin farms and remote robotics.
NZ Relevance: Japanese buyers prioritise stable, tech-assured supply; collaboration signals premium for digitally verified crops (leafy greens, tomatoes).
NZ Advantage Play: Co-design a digital-twin greenhouse pilot with a Japanese OEM (NTT or partner) at a Waikato/Taupō site to validate labour and energy gains on tomatoes/telegraph cucumbers.
Sources: AgTechNavigator: 23 Jun 2025), 24 Jun 2025; NTT (7 Apr 2025)
4. Indonesia overhauls import regime
Global Insight: Jakarta introduced MoT Reg 16/2025 and sectoral rules (e.g., Permendag 18/2025) reshaping import approvals, timing and classifications for restricted goods including horticulture; BPOM also refreshed recall/destruction requirements. Expect process resets as older approvals are revoked and replaced.
NZ Relevance: Onions/carrots/potatoes face new importer workflows; alignment with importers’ SPI/RIPH sequencing is crucial for Indonesian windows.
NZ Advantage Play: Lock a 2026 Indonesia market-access calendar with top importers, mapping SPI/RIPH cut-offs and pre-clearing labels.
Sources: DITRALaw (18 Aug 2025); Lexology (8 Sep 2025); Permitindo (5 Aug 2025); Nusantara DFDL (25 Sep 2025).
5. AI weed-control scales in onions, carrots and potatoes
Global Insight: Carbon Robotics launched its faster, lighter modular LaserWeeder G2 (10 Feb 2025) and continues high-profile deployments in onions and row vegetables. Robotics financing and deployments remain active through 2025.
NZ Relevance: For onions, carrots and potatoes, non-chemical weeding reduces residues and labour pinch-points. Cost-down and modularity bring TRL 8-9 into reach for NZ scale blocks.
NZ Advantage Play: Form a buyer-led onion/carrot LaserWeeder consortium for 2026 field deployment in Canterbury and Hawke’s Bay.
Sources: Carbon Robotics news page (10 Feb 2025 NZT); The Robot Report investment trend (26 Aug 2025 NZT).
6. Fiji reliance on veg imports creates a near-neighbour play
Global Insight: Fiji’s sector plan notes high dependency on imported vegetables and staples; BAF reiterates strict plant/food biosecurity rules. Window for NZ potatoes/onions/leafy greens via compliant chains remains open.
NZ Relevance: hort-haul lanes and NZ cold-chain credentials suit washed potatoes, onions and leafy greens, provided paperwork is immaculate.
NZ Advantage Play: Launch a “Fiji-fit” compliance pack: pre-issued BAF import permits, bilingual labels, FAW additional declaration template, and a pre-shipment inspection protocol with your Fiji importer.
Sources: Fiji Bureau of Statistics, IMTS Annual 2024 (25 Mar 2025 NZT); Fiji Trade Portal: Import Permit Requirements for Plant & Plant Products (accessed Oct 2025 NZT); BAF Imported Plant & Products guidance (accessed Oct 2025 NZT); Horticulture NZ notice on FAW Additional Declaration (15 Mar 2024 NZT).
7. Biostimulants gain evidence and clearer EU pathways
Global Insight: 2025 peer-reviewed trials report yield and nutrition benefits in lettuce, peppers and eggplants from seaweed extracts; EU FPR FAQs were updated 16 Jun 2025, clarifying conformity and labelling for plant biostimulants.
NZ Relevance. Herbs, leafy greens and tomatoes for premium markets can leverage biostimulants for stress tolerance and quality, with EU-recognised CE-marked products easing entry.
NZ Advantage Play. Launch a CE-marked biostimulant validation in NZ glasshouses with export varieties; publish results to support EU buyer specs.
Sources: EC FPR FAQ v11.0 (16 Jun 2025 NZT); Scientific Reports lettuce-seaweed RCT (6 Mar 2025 NZT)
8. UK precision breeding regime goes live Nov 2025
Global Insight. Secondary legislation for England’s Precision Breeding regime is passed; commencement 13–14 Nov 2025 with marketing applications to DEFRA/FSA thereafter. Opens pathways for gene-edited veg varieties.
NZ Relevance. Signals impending retailer acceptance of PBO crops and potential seed access advantages for disease-resistant lines (e.g., ToBRFV-tolerant tomatoes).
NZ Advantage Play. Join a UK seed company pilot to evaluate PBO tomato/cucumber lines in NZ containment and plan market comms.
Sources: Murgitroyd (2 Oct 2025); Agricultural Industries Confederation (Aug 2025); Osborne Clarke (19 Sep 2025).
9. Greenhouse robotics and digital twins hit operations
Global Insight: Live deployments of tomato harvest/lowering robots and warehouse cultivation with autonomous monitoring are scaling in EU/US; Dutch industry continues to showcase high-efficiency greenhouse models. These systems target labour constraints and unit cost.
NZ Relevance: Labour scarcity is persistent for glasshouse tomatoes/telegraph cucumbers; robotics can stabilise throughput and QA.
NZ Advantage Play: Run a two-bot trial (harvest + plant-lowering) with a NZ glasshouse, benchmarking $/kg and pack-out against manual baselines.
Sources: Arugga (6 Jun 2025); Innovation Origins (6 Apr 2025); WFSB US feature (8 Sep 2025); Business Insider (late Sep 2025).
10. Parametric weather cover expands in APAC
Global Insight. Parametric insurance offerings are widening in Australia (e.g., frost) and Japan; research confirms yield/financial benefits from index-based covers. Brokers flag multi-peril parametric structures.
NZ Relevance. For field veg (carrots, onions, potatoes), frost/heat/rainfall triggers can protect margins and lender confidence for capex (e.g., automation, energy).
NZ Advantage Play. Co-design a pilot frost/heat parametric for Canterbury and Pukekohe carrots/onions with Descartes/insurer plus bank partner.
Sources: Descartes Underwriting AU (2025); Artemis (28 Aug 2025); Agricultural Systems (2025).
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