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<pre>Right on the mark Gareth.
The Bega Valley in New South Wales has just come to realise that its one major
economic activity - dairy farming - has left it out on a limb. The recent dairy
de-regulation here jolted everyone out of their comfort zone.
What this area does have, and has always been put in the 'feral' basket, are
numerous small 'alternative' gourmet producers who are now being seen (by the
other end of town) as the saviours of this small rural community. Like you in NZ
this area boasts a clean, green and healthy image. It has an abundance of
natural assets (world class) but little else in the way of an alternative
economy to dairy farming. Eco-tourism and gourmet food seem to go hand in hand
with the 'new economy'
If you could share some of your thoughts with us here in Bega (Sapphire Coast
Producers Association) it might help us convince the top end of the town to get
some of the government funding down to 'grass roots' level instead of lining the
pockets of highly paid consultants re-inventing another survey.
Good luck with your thesis.
Phil Bramley
Sapphire Coast Producers Association
Tanja Olives
> ** Original Subject: RE: [OliveOil] Upsidedown
> ** Original Sender: Gareth Renowden <
gareth@renowden.co.nz>
> ** Original Date: 23 Aug 2000 00:00:01 -0000
> ** Original Message follows...
>
> on 22/8/2000 6:48 pm, P Caird at
caird@hitech.net.au wrote:
>
> > Where I am in Bendigo, Victoria (36.75S) we are equivalent to central
> > Spain
>
> How's your Rioja?
>
> > Our local council has just launched it's "New Mediterranean" agribusiness
> > policy concentrating on, among other things, olives.
>
> It's an interesting idea. Last year, when doing the publicity rounds for my
> book, I tried to stir up some interest in the concept of a "gourmet economy"
> - to counter the prevailing "wisdom" that a knowledge economy is the way to
> go. My thesis: NZ is far too small to have a major impact in world markets,
> but our combination of climate and soils allows us to grow very high quality
> food products. We should therefore be aiming to produce world-class gourmet
> products - a niche market that can deliver high returns and remain
> relatively unaffected by swings in the general economy. Wine has shown how
> it can be done, and olives will follow, but there's huge potential for
> truffles and other fungi, high quality (organic and speciality) meats such
> as herb-finished lamb, cheeses, fruit and nut crops, specialist timbers and
> many others.
>
> Giving this strategy a catchy label - the gourmet economy - helps
> ludicrously under-informed city-types to appreciate what's happening out in
> the real world...
>
> Regards
> --
> Gareth Renowden, Limestone Hills, New Zealand
> Words, olives and truffles
> Office +64 (0)3 355 9552 Home +64 (0)3 314 9921
> Mobile 025 790 070
> "I knew she carried a snorkel in her handbag, but would she use it?"(Sir
> Henry)
>
>
>
>
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</pre>
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