Ōpōtiki grower wins 2025 Kiwifruit Innovation Award
Brett Wotton, an Eastern Bay of Plenty kiwifruit grower and harvest contractor, has won the 2025 Kiwifruit Innovation Award for his work to support lifting fruit quality across the industry.
Politicians, diplomats, government officials, primary sector representatives and scientists joined Zespri board members and staff to formally recognise that the kiwifruit industry was now fully back in business.
Zespri chairman Peter McBride says it's exciting to have the industry back on track and noted that this wouldn't have happened but for the efforts and support of a huge number of people. McBride also praised the Government for the FTA's it has negotiated, of enormous benefit to the kiwifruit industry.
Zespri chief executive Lain Jager says they have sold their 100th million tray of kiwifruit this season and he predicts a rapid rise in volumes in coming seasons
"Driven by the recovery of Gold, the NZ kiwifruit industry has created a unique value chain supported by government regulation," he says. "This allows us to invest in innovation and marketing and this structure supported our recovery from PSa. It will continue to support our growth."
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy, who hosted the evening, described 2015 as fantastic for the industry which, with fortitude and determination backed by good science, has achieved an amazing turnaround.
Guy says the Government will work with the industry to help it grow via free trade agreements.
