56 | HORTICULTURE Ngai Tukairangi Trust Napier Port Hawke’s Bay T T Kim Newth Top honours for outstanding leadership Liam was named Horticentre Group Horticulturist of the Year at the 2025 Napier Port Hawke’s Bay Primary Sector Awards. Winning Hawke’s Bay’s top horticulture award has been “incredibly humbling” for orchardist Liam Sykes, whose leadership and expertise has played a big part in building momentum for Ngāi Tukairangi Trust, a trailblazer in Hawke’s Bay horticulture. In April, Liam was named Horticentre Group Horticulturist of the Year at the 2025 Napier Port Hawke’s Bay Primary Sector Awards. Reflecting on his success, Liam says he is proud to share the accolade with his team. “I love this industry and I’m so passionate about my job,” says Liam, who is Ngāi Tukairangi Trust’s Area Orchard Manager for Heretaunga. “I’m grateful to be working with such a progressive Māori business that shares the same values I do. They let me do it my way and run the orchards as if they were my own business; the team there under me are the reason why it’s so successful.” The awards’ team described Liam as an outstanding leader with exceptional expertise and knowledge in horticulture, spanning all aspects of the business. Liam currently manages 26 full-time staff as well as 20 seasonal RSE workers from Fiji. Highlighted at the awards was the Trust’s remarkable response to Cyclone Gabrielle, which damaged several of their kiwifruit blocks. Worse hit was a 22-hectare site on Moteo Pa Rd, Puketapu, where 18 hectares of vines were destroyed. “We’re working to a four-year plan to get that orchard back operating to 100%. It’s an exciting prospect knowing we’re on the right track. AGFIRST Leading a smarter, sustainable, high performing primary sector www.agfirst.co.nz 06-872-7080 m hawkesbay@agfirst.co.nz k BETTER CROP PROTECTION FOR NZ GROWERS Helping Ngāi Tukairangi maximise every harvest. See the Ngāi Tukairangi project Explore the project on our new website hortivate.co.nz
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