Objectives || What we do || History || The future
The objectives of the NZ Calla Council (NZCC) are:
- To catalyse and guide development of the New Zealand Calla Industry through activities which support establishing, funding, and implementing an industry and market development programme covering calla flowers, tubers, seeds and tissue culture material of the genus Zantedeschia.
- To fund the Council through member subscription at an annual amount to be set by the annual general meeting. Special projects and any development plan may be funded by such means as establishing levies on export or local production of Calla flowers, tubers, seeds and tissue culture material, seeking donations and funding from any other organisation or individual. Where levies are sought, the Council may apply to do so under the Primary Industries Commodity Act as a compulsory levy, should this be approved by its members and the Calla industry generally, and its members and the Calla industry vote to do so as prescribed by the Act.
- To remunerate any person, alliance, or other body for services rendered to the Council.
- To, when considered necessary, seek affiliation, membership or representation in any other body within New Zealand or overseas, in order to better achieve the objects of the Council.
- To hold ownership of intellectual property on behalf of the Calla industry, including trademarks and research results.
- To communicate with members items of material progress, interest and concern, including technical and research reports.
What we do
- The NZ Calla Council (NZCC) has established this website as the communications hub for its members and those wishing to learn more about the NZ calla industry. As of December 2005, this site is in an embryonic state, as Phase 1 of a potential two-Phase project. Over time more elements and information will be added.
- The NZCC periodically produces a newsletter (CALLA news) and this will also be posted on the website.
- The NZCC stages an annual conference to provide additional networking opportunities, an opportunity to learn more about effective production and marketing of calla products and discuss topical issues.
- Regional groups of the NZCC hold regular functions in those parts of the country where it has members.
- The NZCC is recognised by national horticultural organizations and Government bodies, and makes representation to these on behalf of members.
History
The NZ Calla Council (NZCC) was formed in 1991; the postal ballot of the 300 growers and exporters involved in formation of the first Executive occurred in September 1991. At this time "almost five times as many growers support the Council than oppose it" (NZCC Newsletter No. 4, 1991), illustrating wide support.
A significant event that acted as a catalysis for the formation of the NZCC was in 1989 when calla growers and exporters at the NZ Floriculture Federation Conference (the national growers representative body) voted to put in place a voluntary levy (2%) on exports to fund research and promotion. With ongoing incentives provided by TRADENZ, growers and exporters subsequently agreed to set up an incorporated society, i.e. The New Zealand Calla Council Inc.
Prior to 1991 no individual statistics were collected for export earnings from callas as a separate commodity. In 1991 export earnings from callas as cut flowers was ranked in second place after orchids bringing in NZ$3.1 million (Department of Statistics, NZ), with some additional earnings from tuber exports. In 2004 this has grown to an industry worth NZ$10 million, with NZ$3.3 million earned from tuber exports. Callas remain ranked second in named flower types for their export value from NZ.
Prior to the formation of the NZCC other collectives of interested calla-groups were active (1984-1990). These were primarily focussed on R&D initiatives, working with research providers such as Massey University, NZ Nursery Research Centre, MAF, and the then named DSIR. These collectives that preceded the NZCC included the NZ Calla Producers Association (NZCPA) and the International Calla Association (ICA).
Continuing the relationship between existing research providers, the NZCC immediately set about supporting continued research and extension projects, as it continues to today. However the NZCC recognised all this research would be of limited value unless effectively disseminated and implemented. Hence even at the first meeting of the Executive, discussion was held on "the need for a comprehensive guide for growers to the production, harvesting, and grading of callas" (Report of First Exec Meeting - NZCC, 1991). Together with financial assistance from the Trade Development Board and AgMARDT, the Calla Growers Manual was first published in 1994.
In collaboration with the NZ Trade Development Board, in the early years of the NZCC a significant amount of activity also related to the Council's first objective of a market development programme. As a result of participating in numerous international trade fairs, and market investigations, a number of reports were published from 1990 onwards, so as to provide the platform for moving the marketing of calla products forward into the future.
The future for NZ Calla Council (NZCC)
The NZCC continues to have the potential to add significant value to the calla industry by coordinating and promoting efforts in research, extension and market development. This website and the activities organised by the NZCC are designed to ensure that people with similar interests and objectives have a formal and simple means of keeping in touch with each other and participating in creating new developments in the industry.