The NZ King Salmon CEO also believes it could even dwarf its famed dairy industry…
Talking to Stuff.nz NZ King Salmon chief executive Grant Rosewarne told the publication that the he was looking at the Norway model for ‘what could be’ in salmon aquaculture.
“As farming situations go, this is one of the best outcomes you’re going to get of any farming method for animals in the world,” Rosewarne said.
“Our impact on the environment is an order of magnitude less [than dairy].
Rosewarne said this in a presentation to Marlborough District Council.
He also also compared salmon aquaculture to the wine industry in NZ. Not surprising as this year, the Ministry for Primary Industries projected salmon aquaculture had export revenues of $98 million. “The potential [of wine] wasn’t always recognised, and it took some time for people to embrace that industry” he said.
Rosewarne said salmon aquaculture could also “easily exceed the size of the New Zealand wine industry”, according to their calculations.
Rosewarne also calculated that New Zealand’s $2.8 billion trade deficit could be wiped off with just 80 surface hectares of farms. They currently operated with 17 surface hectares.
At least 280 jobs in the northeastern tip of the South Island, Marlborough.
The company posted $25 million dollars in annual profit last year.
