Southern Packers Ltd

Southern Packers Limited grades, packs and exports onions to the United Kingdom, Europe, and Asia and also supplies the local market, here in New Zealand. The company is based in Washdyke, Timaru in South Canterbury. The company also pack potatoes for export.

Southern Packers Ltd. was formed in 1999 when a group of local growers and exporters purchased the existing packhouse, built in 1998, from Alpine Fresh. The current shareholders in Southern Packers are Murray Turley, Dean Pye, and Tony Howey. The main reason for forming the company was to give the growers better control over costs in the packing and exporting of their crops, and to give better bargaining power in the sale of onions to overseas buyers. Colin Tarrant is the current manager.

The majority of the European product is sold through Southern Fresh Produce, an Auckland, New Zealand based company who also markets the UK product. The Asian grade product is marketed mainly through Origin International, but also a number of other exporters.

We supply a number varieties of two main types of onion - PLK types and red onions. The Pukekohe long keeper (PLK) type was first bred in New Zealand in the 1930s and is always being further developed. It is hard, pungent and a top quality storage onion. Red onions are successfully exported with new varieties being developed.

Currently we supply the following varieties: Bonanza, Canterbury, Crusader, Devonport, ELK, Franklin, Goldrush, Mercedes, Omega, PLK, Rangers, Red Beauty, Reds, RLK, Sonic, and Trophy.

The tonnage of onions packed has steadily grown each year, with 15000MT a year being consistently packed over the last 3 years. We also do 4500 - 5000 tonnes of potato seed cutting each year.

This year's crop appears to be of good size and quality, no presence of disease, and of average yield.

Check out our website for more information.