November 24, 2020
Kiwifruit growing gold for community
The chair of the Ahuwhenua Trophy organising committee says there was little to choose between this year’s three finalists.
For the first time this year, the competition for Māori farming excellence looked at the horticulture sector, with the contenders all producing gold kiwifruit for financial returns among the top 10 per cent of growers.
Kingi Smiler says while the winner, Te Kaha 15B’s Hineora Orchard, had less land in vines than its rivals Otama Marere near Te Puke and Tauranga’s Ngāi Tukairangi Trust, it had a compelling story of close connection with the community.
"They took their land back and around 20 years ago they formed a partnership with other blocks in Te Kaha and built an amazing business from there with the community, getting all the whānau as part of the programme and training them up to be able to run the business as well as growing their own orchard base for growing trees etc so they had their own nursery which they are now growing and distributing right throughout the region," he says.
The infrastructure Te Kaha 15B built for its orchard has improved water supply for the whole community.
The Ahuwhenua Young Māori Grower Award went to 26-year-old Maatutaera Akonga, a senior leading hand at apple grower Llewellyn Horticulture in Hastings.
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