The 15,9 hectare freehold block at 363 Otara Road is some four kilometres from the township of Opotiki, and is subdivided into 11 paddocks.

The 363 Otara Road block is being marketed for sale at auction on August 28 through Bayleys Whakatane. Salesperson Rhys Mischefski said the predominantly flat contoured blocked featured good drainage – both down the boundary lines and alongside the central race system.

Mr Mischefski said the land had been used for growing maize and silage to help sustain a nearby dairy farming operation, in addition to grazing cattle. He said the gravel and sandy alluvial Rangitaiki soil base delivered a high cropping tonnage and held up well when supporting cows.

Dairy farming is the predominant land use in the Opotiki rural region. Mr Mischefski said that over the past 12 months, run off and support block land in the area had achieved an average sale value of $47,500 per hectare.

Mr Mischefski said there was the opportunity of converting the rectangular-shaped block into horticultural production land to yield fruit or vegetables.

“Top of that list would be conversion of the land into a kiwifruit orchard - as production of the crop moves eastward down from its traditional base in and around Te Puke into the fertile soils along the coast,” he said.

“The size, boundary shape, and flat topography of this offering at 15.9 hectares also represents a good economic unit for a kiwifruit orchard conversion – with the existing central race delivering what would be ready-made access for vine maintenance and cropping equipment and machinery.

“With dairy conversions now well and truly peaked, the rural productive sector is looking for the next up and coming export crop… and for the Bay of Plenty that is definitely kiwifruit – particularly with the new varieties coming through.

“A bare land conversion block such as Otara Road means any developer could enter the market, or most likely expand their existing presence in the Bay, with the new SunGold and Zespri Red varietals rather than having to convert existing root stock from the traditional green Hayward kiwifruit.”

Power and water to the Otara Road block is currently supplied from an adjoining landholding, with the opportunity for any new owner to formalise the arrangement subject to negotiations, he added.