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Regional | Business

Māori incorporation signs business agreement with Chinese investors

A Māori incorporation in the Central North Island has signed a business agreement to work with Chinese investors.

‘Maraeroa C Incorporation’ has been growing wild ginseng for over 7 years and while they're nearing harvesting season, the opportunity to launch the Māori business project into the world's biggest export market has just been signed.

In 2006, Maraeroa C Incorporation in Te Kūiti saw an investment opportunity when wild ginseng became less available around the world.

They took the jump into the unknown and have come out being a favourite with some of China's biggest investment groups.

Wild ginseng is highly sought after in the Asian market.  Once its 20 years old, one root could be worth $20,000.

It takes 14 years to reach maturity in China but only seven years in NZ.

The big harvest is in May 2015, but next week Maraeroa C Incorporation will launch their ginseng products in Auckland and will begin exporting internationally in 2016.