increase font size
Horticulture’s Bledisloe Cup for 2019 winner Bill Thorpe and wife his Margaret.
Horticulture's Bledisloe Cup for 2019 was won by Gisborne horticulture leader Bill Thorpe.
The cup goes to an outstanding contributor to horticulture, this year Thorpe, who received it at the Horticulture Conference 2019.
The award citation noted Thorpe has been in horticulture for 50 years, including planting the first commercial kiwifruit in 1969. By 1975 he had developed Gisborne’s first, seamless kiwifruit packhouse and export facility.
In 1988 he became a founding member of the New Zealand Persimmon Industry Council, of which he remains an active member. As an exporter he helped push into China and the US.
His colleagues say he is a “commercially mature and unfailingly courteous gentleman and statesman of the industry” and known to be “relentless in representing the growers of the Gisborne region”.
Thorpe says it is an honour to receive the award and particularly satisfying since he has spent most of his working life in this dynamic and forward looking industry.
“In the twilight of my career I am particularly honoured to join the impressive list of people who have their names engraved on this magnificent trophy,” he said.
The Bledisloe Cup for horticulture was first presented in 1931 by Governor-general Lord Bledisloe, going to the orchardist who mounted the best exhibit of NZ apples at the Imperial Fruit Show. It is one of several cups Lord Bledisloe presented to NZ and resembles rugby’s Bledisloe Cup.
A brilliant result and great news for growers and regional economies. That's how horticulture sector leaders are describing the news that sector exports for the year ended June 30 will reach $8.4 billion - an increase of 19% on last year and is forecast to hit close to $10 billion in 2029.
There is an appeal to New Zealanders to buy local citrus fruit.
Avocado growers are reporting a successful season, but some are struggling to keep their operations afloat following years of bad weather.
Horticulture and commercial vegetable growers in particular stand to be major beneficiaries of radical proposals by government to make sweeping changes to RMA regulations.
Lydia Goodman has been crowned the Central Otago 2025 Young Grower of the Year regional winner.
Two butcheries have claimed victory at the 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards for 2025.
A Taupiri farming company has been convicted and fined $52,500 in the Hamilton District Court for the unlawful discharge of dairy effluent into the environment.
The Climate Change Commission’s 2025 emissions reduction monitoring report reveals steady progress on the reduction of New Zealand’s climate pollution.
Another milestone has been reached in the fight against Mycoplasma bovis with the compensation assistance service being wound up after helping more than 1300 farmers.
The Government’s directive for state farmer Landcorp Farming (trading as Pamu) to lifts its performance is yielding results.
The move to bring bovine TB testing in-house at Ospri officially started this month, as a team of 37 skilled and experienced technicians begin work with the disease eradication agency.
OPINION: Spare a thought for the arable farmer, squeezed on one side by soft global prices and on the other…
OPINION: Labour leader Chris 'Chippy' Hipkins is carrying on the world-class gaslighting of the nation that he and his cohorts…
