Digital technology is already part of the way many growers run their businesses, whether through payroll systems, crop monitoring, moisture sensors, GPS, automation or other tools that generate, store or process data.

A report by AgriTechNZ and Research First has taken a closer look at how digital technology is being used across New Zealand’s primary industries. The study was codesigned with Zespri, the Foundation for Arable Research, the Fertiliser Association of New Zealand and DairyNZ, with support from the Ministry for Primary Industries through the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures initiative.

The research used a large scale survey, in depth interviews and focus groups, engaging more than 1,000 farmers and growers across the sector. Its purpose was simple, to better understand what is helping, and what is holding back, digital adoption.

For growers, the findings are useful because they reflect what many already know from experience. Technology has to solve a real problem. It cannot simply be new or interesting. It needs to make the business easier to run, improve efficiency, support compliance, or help growers make better decisions.

Across the primary sector, the strongest reasons for adopting digital tools were efficiency, ease of use and compliance. The main barriers were cost, uncertainty around return on investment, poor connectivity and the fact that many growers already have manual systems that work.

The horticulture section of the report shows a sector that is relatively positive about technology. Horticulturalists were more likely than others in the primary sector to see value in digital tools, and 56% said they like using digital technology in their business. Growers were also more likely to be confident problem solvers, while 67% believed digital technology currently available added significant value to their operations.

However, there are still hurdles. In horticulture, reluctance to move away from manual systems was a particularly strong barrier, with 60% rating this as significant. Cost, proof of return and connectivity were also important considerations.

Data sharing is another area where trust is critical. The report found that 76% of horticulturalists were happy to share data when it provided direct benefits, and 59% said they already share a range of on farm data with others.

This suggests the opportunity is not about convincing growers to use technology for the sake of it. It is about providing practical tools, clear benefits and trusted support.

For the fresh produce sector, the future of digital adoption will depend on technology that fits into real growing operations, supports good decision making and helps growers remain productive, sustainable and competitive.