An apple-growing company in South Canterbury hopes to boost the region's economy by employing at least another 200 staff over the next two years.
The company, Honeycrisp New Zealand, has the rights to grow a special type of apple bred at the University of Minnesota in the United States.
Its co-owner, Peter Bennett, says the apple is very juicy and does not go brown shortly after being cut, as other apples do.
He says about one-hundred-thousand trees have been planted in the region and some are producing fruit this season.
Mr Bennett says the apple, which will not be on supermarket shelves in New Zealand for at least another year, has huge export potential.
