42 | “Being organic, we are very aware of the importance and the value of our soil and soil structure. We apply just a bit of compost each year and it pays off for us.” Kiwifruit pioneer Jeff Roderick. Promoting kiwifruit a passion Jeff Roderick T T Kelly Deeks REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT From the kiwifruit capital of the world, Jeff and Shirley Roderick have been pioneers of the industry since the late 1970s, converting their 17ha Te Puke orchard to organic production in the 1990s and now, along with other growers,are playing a major role in kiwifruit promotion with many varied groups visiting the orchard each year. Jeff and Shirley converted Jeff’s family farm on Number 1 Road to kiwifruit and were already organic in time for the introduction of gold kiwifruit in 1998, and then red kiwifruit in 2020. Today they grow 6.5ha of green, 9.5ha of gold, 0.5ha of red, with the remainder of the orchard area used for various trials involving kiwifruit. The rest of their land area is being replanted and maintained in indigenous trees. Jeff says the location of his land is key to his growing success. “We don’t have to use frost control or irrigation, and we’ve got really good soils,” he says. “Being organic, we are very aware of the importance and the value of our soil and soil structure. We apply just a bit of compost each year and it pays off for us.” Jeff and Shirley’s orchard is strategically located right next door to the Trevelyan’s packhouse, and where kiwifruit is the biggest driver of the local economy. Every year, 65 kiwifruit-only reefer ships and 100 mixed cargo container ships cart kiwifruit out of the Port of Tauranga and as the industry has grown, Jeff says so has the traffic congestion. It is harvest season right now, and there are 2800 people working at the packhouse next door packing 10% of the national crop. “A lot of people won’t realise the scale of it,” Jeff says. “There are a couple of hundred million dollars coming through that facility every year for the growers and even for local people who aren’t involved in the industry, they will often be supplementing their income by taking in people traveling during the kiwifruit season. It drives the local economy hugely.” Jeff and Shirley’s loyal team of about 10 permanent staff, and their reputation amongst the temporary worker community from overseas have also been key drivers for their business success. Their orchard managers are people who initially came to work for them about 20 years ago as teenagers. Other permanent workers have been with them for up to 20 years, and staff turnover is minimal. “We look after our staff and we’ve never advertised for labour, ever in 40 years. We employ an extra 10 or so backpackers during the year, and increase that by another 10 over the 11 weeks of harvest and they just contact us when they get to NZ. It’s easy, and it’s all word of mouth.” The visiting tour groups who Jeff hosts and promotes kiwifruit to come partly because of Jeff and Shirley’s beautiful location in the Coastal Bay of Plenty, and partly because they produce good quality organic fruit. With 100% of their fruit going offshore, these groups can comprise of satisfied customers from overseas, as well as government and industry officials, media etc. Jeff will give them a talk about their business and Shirley might share recipes using this nutrient-dense superfruit, with its powerful combination of dietary fibre, actinidin, potassium, folate, and more vitamin C than an orange! Jeff says New Zealand kiwifruit growers are currently in a good space as they strive to provide high quality fruit on time. He says the biggest issue Zespri is now trying to work through is keeping 12 months’ supply on overseas shelves, and the resulting struggle to get back on the shelves once NZ supply resumes. The answer is more Zespri licensed growers overseas, which will need to be approved by 75 percent of NZ Zespri growers.
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