February 23, 2020
Ahuwhenua finalists show horticulture gold
The Bay of Plenty has provided all three finalists for the first edition of the Ahuwhenua Trophy to feature horticulture.
Te Kaha 15B Ahu Whenua Trust grow Sungold kiwifruit through a joint venture on its 11 hectare Hineora Orchard at Te Kaha, which also houses a commercial pack-house and a kiwifruit spray company.
It also took the lead in establishing Te Whānau-ā-Apanui Fruitgrowers Incorporated, which trains workers for the industry.
Otama Marere (Paengaroa North A5) Block grows a mix of green and SunGold kiwifruit as well as avocados on 45 hectares near Te Puke which until the 1980s has been leased for 60 years to a golf club at two shillings and sixpence per acre.
In recent years the trust has been converting production to organic SunGold kiwifruit.
The third finalist is Ngāi Tukairangi Trust which is a very large kiwifruit operation with one of its orchards, based at Matapihi, just a few kilometres from the centre of Tauranga city.
Field days will be held on the block in March and April, and the winner will be announced May 22 at a gala event at the Trustpower Baypark Stadium in Tauranga.
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