From field to plate
The First Crop Introduced
![Delta Kumara](http://www.deltakumara.co.nz/uploads/images/crop-banner-2.jpg)
Many think of kumara as an indigenous NZ vegetable, in fact it is an introduced crop. Maori, when they migrated to NZ, brought it with them. As a crop to introduce it was an excellent choice. The kumara roots remained alive and healthy for the duration of the long sea voyage to be planted and produce a crop on arrival.
The natural long life of kumara also made it an excellent choice as a staple food because once harvested, if cared for properly, it would last at least a year. As importantly, as a food packed with key vitamins and nutrients, very little more was needed in Maori diet to maintain complete good health.
Maori planted kumara right across the semi-tropical regions of the North Island with flat alluvial plains providing the best growing conditions for the red variety. Working to a six month growing cycle with seed stocks were cultivated under carefully controlled conditions and planting beds meticulously prepared to avoid any risk of disease of pest carry-over from a previous crop.
Today Delta’s quality control extends to gaining GAP Certification for our growers which means that they remain environmentally responsible in their growing methods and processes.
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