LORD HOWE ISLAND BOARD
Business Paper
ITEM
Kentia Seed Collection and Management
BACKGROUND
At the Planning Meeting held prior to the May 2014 Board meeting it was requested that a paper be prepared for the September Board meeting regarding Kentia Palm seed collection and management.
CURRENT POSITION
Mike Maxwell of Kentia Fresh Pty Ltd, the holder of the Nursery lease, prepared the attached report for consideration by the Board. A key finding from the recent seed collection activity is that the quantity of seed available across all the collection areas is at historically low levels. One experienced seed collector, Rex Byrne, summed up the situation as follows:
“The crop was really poor probably due to drought and there was a lot of rat damage; most I have ever seen. Rats have been nesting in the built up fibre due to the seeds not being collected for a few years.
Grey Face / Far flats / Little Slope were particularly bad. The quantities speak for themselves. We got 1.6 Bushels at Grey Face !! Scratched out you might get another 1.6 bushels...... never seen anything like it, unbelievable in fact.
Next year looks very similar in all the areas we went to. North Bay was the best but still bad”.
As stated in Mike Maxwell’s report, the concern of the seeders is that the confluence of drought, an interruption in collections for over two years and abnormally high rat infestation will impact collection levels in coming years. However, this does not necessarily signal a long term crisis. Nevertheless, the seed available for harvest is dramatically below levels achieved over the last 20 years.
Over the coming months Kenta Fresh Pty Ltd will analyse the germination rates of the seed collected from various parts of the island.
It is proposed that the Administration meet with Kentia Fresh Pty Ltd before the March 2015 seed collection period to discuss future market-based commercial arrangements once the results of the germination rate tests are known.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Board note the information provided.
Prepared ______Bill Monks Manager Business & Corporate Services
Endorsed ______Penny Holloway Chief Executive Officer