WHAT'S NEW
A RICH HISTORY OF SUPPORTING GROWERS’ INTERESTS Fruitfed Supplies, as it’s known today, was originally formed in 1916 as a grower-owned organisation to advocate for and support those within the horticultural industry. Starting from humble beginnings, the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation commenced its commercial activities in 1920, opening its first store in Hastings. The Federation’s primary focus was to represent the interests of horticultural growers, using its collective buying power to provide crop protection products and harvesting equipment. At the same time the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation became the voice of the horticultural industry, lobbying central and local government for favourable legislation for growers and the communities that relied on the success of the industry. Moving forward in time, and with growers’ continuing support, the Federation thrived operating both as a retail store as well as promoting and advocating on behalf of the horticultural industry. From the 1930s through to the 1970s, the organisation was the main source of products and equipment for use in orchards and market gardens and continued to facilitate grower advisory groups within horticultural growing regions. By the 1980s the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation’s ownership structure changed and the Fruitfed name was created. It was when Williams and Kettle Limited purchased Fruitfed Limited that Fruitfed Supplies was born. What followed was the acquisition of Williams and Kettle by Wrightson, and soon after, the merger between Wrightson and Pyne Gould Guinness that saw Fruitfed Supplies, as it is today, as the horticultural division of PGG Wrightson. The name may have changed but not the company’s focus: to continue to support and collaborate with growers. Having worked with growers through the evolution of horticultural practices over the years, the team at Fruitfed Supplies can be relied upon to provide customers with technical advice and solutions for a range of horticultural crops. The foundation of Fruitfed Supplies’ technical expertise is its Research and Development (R&D) team who complete over 50 trials a year assessing the performance of agrichemical, biological and organic products in horticultural growing situations within New Zealand. This information
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NZGROWER : MARCH 2021
Hayden French, Fruitfed Supplies Technical Horticultural Representative (right) with Tasman grower, Toby Conning
helps growers, who in consultation with a Fruitfed Supplies Technical Horticultural Representative, can create an effective spray or control programme, having a good understanding of product choice and timings. Complementing R&D is Fruitfed Supplies’ Crop Monitoring team who provide a valuable service to growers. With Crop Monitors out in the field identifying pest and disease levels in a crop, growers in discussion with their Technical Horticultural Representative, can use this data to make informed decisions on control measures to help protect crop yields. PGG Wrightson and Fruitfed Supplies have a combined network of 91 stores located in the main agricultural and horticultural regions of the country.
Visit fruitfedsupplies.co.nz to find out more about Fruitfed Supplies’ range of products and services, or to find a store near you. Fruitfed Supplies is a trading division of PGG Wrightson Ltd (PGW). PGW and the writer do not warrant the information’s accuracy, quality, outcome or fitness for any purpose.
