The Country 28/08/25: Andrew Fenton talks to Jamie Mackay

The Horticulture Bledisloe Cup was awarded to Andrew Fenton, current president and chair of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers Federation and chair of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers Charitable Trust, which he has served on since 2003. He was also the inaugural president of Horticulture NZ when it was formed in 2005.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
It was all glitz and glamour last night in Wellington
for the Hoart New Zealand Industry Awards and gala dinner.
Taking away the top gong, the Horticulture Ledisloe Cup, the
premium industry award in the hort industry, was Andrew Fenton,
current President and Chair of the New Zealand Fruit Growers Federation.

(00:20):
But Andrew, you and I go back quite a long way.
I remember chatting to you many years ago and your
capacity as President of Horticulture New Zealand. In fact, I
think you were the first one.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
Yes, I was. I was the inaugural president of fourteen Court,
New Zealand where it was formed merging veg Fed and
Food Growth Federation berry FED. In two thousand and five
we had our first conference, and I think you and
I have spoken since on food and vegetable matters and
rural matters for many many years after that, So it

(00:52):
goes back a long time.

Speaker 1 (00:53):
Did they get you by surprise?

Speaker 2 (00:56):
Absolutely? I was there to make a short speech about
the twenty twenty years of pot culture in New Zealand
and it wasn't until the last five minutes before the
presentation of the Bledders I cup when I realized that
was the only thing left on the agenda, and I
got a cold shiver and I looked at my wife
and I thought, yeah, I got to be kidding me.
So yeah, I various delighted, surprised and re humbled. There's

(01:19):
so many deserving people out there.

Speaker 1 (01:21):
You're a Tapoki Kiwi for It grower. What's your background
in the industry.

Speaker 2 (01:26):
I've been a grower since I was nineteen twenty, and
I've come up through the industry area. I always had
an interest in industry good matters and leadership and it
really took me over and so I've spent my favod
of my time in different parts of the industry, from

(01:50):
retail wholesale to industry good functions with the organizations and
staturee with HTA and q Freit New Zealand Statatory Board.
So I've covered a fair few that there's time to
pass it through somebody else. So it's really nice to
have received this award.

Speaker 1 (02:09):
I look at your industry, the Kiwi fruit industry, and
I think you're the envy of many other industries. And
I look at the red meat industry and I'm thinking, gee,
I wish they I mean, I bet you they wish
they had a structure like the Kiwi fruit industry. You
seem to have your house in order.

Speaker 2 (02:25):
Well, I think there's one word, and it's unity. Everyone
driving in the same direction for a common good. And
that's also what Hot New Zealand's success is. It's about
uniting growers. Whether you grow vegetables and Pokikoi or cherries
and Central Otago, we are all growings. We face the
same issues. It's about uniting the industry and that was

(02:47):
always my objective.

Speaker 1 (02:49):
This government wants to double the value of primary industry
exports in the next decade and I put it to
you and I'll be preaching to the converted here that
if that is to happen, and it's a loft the goal,
horticulture is going to have to do quite a bit
of the heavy lifting because there are environmental constraints around
the likes of the dairy industry.

Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yes, and there are some challenges and there's definitely some
headwinds in front of us, but with the products we
have an offer to the world, we have an advantage.
We do come from a small part of the world
and it is expensive to get there, but our aptitude
and attitude is growth and innovation. And with new innovation

(03:32):
and a labor supply that is well sourced, then we
can deliver the goods. And we have the land, we
have the willpower, we have the ability, so we will deliver.

Speaker 1 (03:45):
In preparation to this interview, we were chatting earlier this
morning and you said when you first went into horticulture,
and he's Zealand as the president, way back in what
two thousand and five, I think a couple of years later,
you said the aim was to get the end of
Street to ten billion dollars by twenty twenty. Well you've
missed that. We're currently sitting at what seven seven and

(04:06):
a half eight billion? How quickly can we get to
that ten magical ten billion mark.

Speaker 2 (04:11):
Well, now we can predict how quickly we can, because
there's always impediments in the way, like storms in the
adverse events, but certainly the intent is to do so.
The ten billion by twenty twenty was a little bit
tongue in cheek, and I do have a smile when
I hear it again, But you know, you've got to
have a target. If you're han't got a target, you'll

(04:32):
miss it every time. And you know, from this point
of view, I see an industry that's growing, whether it
be cherries or apples or kiou fruit on all the
other and the domestic vegetables are growing as well. So
long as I not don't get too restricted by land juice.
The industry is in good heart and can move as

(04:55):
quickly as plant products can.

Speaker 1 (04:57):
Andrew Fenton bled is Low Cup winner at the Heart
New Zealand Industry Awards in gala dinner. I'm glad that
a lifetime service has been recognized. Well done.

Speaker 2 (05:08):
Thank you, Jamie. It's always nice to talk to you.