Inspired by Maggie in the garden

As a primary-schooler in Katikati he may have been the only child who watched Maggies Garden Show on television. He then told his mother he wanted to own an orchard or work in horticulture.

Last week Ward, a technical manager for the Apata Group packhouse company, won the award ahead of seven other competitors from the region. He now goes on to compete with young fruitgrowers from other regions and potentially to the young horticulturalist of the year competition later in 2015.

Ward, B.Appl.Sc in horticulture from Massey University, says though he was happy with his science knowledge, he spent time before the competition honing practical skills such as pruning and tractor driving.

Local MP and former Zespri employee Todd Muller presented Ward with the winner’s cup. He told the 250 guests at the awards evening that the kiwifruit industry should do more to celebrate the way it has managed its way through the Psa crisis. This has taken phenomenal collective fortitude, he says.

“The kiwifruit industry sets the benchmark for focusing on the things that unite it rather than getting distracted by the things that could divide it. It has come through an extraordinary period to where great confidence is now being expressed about its performance.”

Muller says now the industry has recovered from Psa the time might be right to look at whether the people who work at all levels of the kiwifruit industry are being valued appropriately – whether people are being paid in a way that reflects the success of the industry.