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Listed kiwifruit packing company Seeka is targeting young Maori as part of its new three-year cadetship programme.
Chief executive Michael Franks says Maori trusts own about 17 percent of Seeka, and they have told the company they are looking for young Maori to be trained up and to eventually run orchards.
The latest recruits into the programme are Levi Ryland and Brandon Cross from Gisborne, who have iwi ties to Ngai Tukairangi Trust, whose fruit is packed by Seeka.
Cadets begin by learning orcharding techniques including pruning, girdling, thinning and vine training, and will then move on to packhouse, coolstore, marketing and other operations.
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