28 Apr 2014

Focus on Gisborne land productivity

6:37 am on 28 April 2014

Maori are being reminded there will need to be continued commitment to boost the productivity of land around Gisborne.

A regional impact study says the area has some of the highest concentrations of Maori freehold land in the country.

It was commissioned by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and the Transport Ministry.

The report highlights considerable opportunity to grow land productivity with co-ordination, consolidation or partnerships. But it says this will need commitment from landowners and stakeholders for initiatives to better manage farms.

Ngati Porou has an asset base worth more than $170 million in its rohe.

The study says the Maori commercial asset base in all of the Gisborne region is thought to be $316 million.