‘Avocados have my heart,’ says 2021 Young Grower of the Year

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2021 YOUNG GROWER OF THE YEAR

Melissa van den Heuvel wins

Melissa van den Heuvel won the Young Grower of the Year for 2021.

By Andrew Bristol

Melissa is an avocado grower services representative at Apata Group Limited, based in the Bay of Plenty.

“Avocados have my heart, as they are an amazing fruit,” she says. “I am also over the moon to win this competition. “Competing was quite challenging. We all have day jobs and sometimes you find yourself sitting there thinking about the orchard that needs picking or frost protection. “The most challenging part of the competition itself was the leadership panel. Everyone found that daunting, not knowing the questions that would be thrown at us. “We all had to speak on the challenges facing the industry but we all took a different angle. My angle was that there’s something in horticulture for everyone, from accountancy to logistics. We need people coming in from other sectors so we can meet our challenges.” Melissa says she is very proud to be part of the horticulture industry. “It is something I am very passionate about. What we produce is very top notch,” she says. Horticulture New Zealand President, Barry O’Neil, says supporting young people and encouraging more of them to join our industry is critical to our industry’s continued success and growth, in what is the new normal – life affected by Covid-19.

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“At times like these, having a cause and taking time out to celebrate it is even more important than it was before.

The competition is to encourage young people to take up a career in horticulture as well as to celebrate the success of young people in the industry

“This year’s regional finals were oversubscribed, which shows the inherent optimism in our industry as well as the pride inherent in providing New Zealand and the world with tasty and healthy fruit and vegetables.” The national final was held at the Lower Hutt Events on 20 and 21 October, following all Alert Level 2 health and safety protocols. The Young Grower of the Year, run by Horticulture New Zealand, is an annual competition comprising regional finals in major fruit and vegetable growing areas, followed by a national final. The competition is to encourage young people to take up a career in horticulture as well as to celebrate the success of young people in the industry. This year’s Young Grower of the Year finalists were:

Heather Feetham, Pukekohe Jamie McIntyre, Gisborne Melissa van den Heuvel, Bay of Plenty (2020, but rest of competition cancelled due to Covid-19) Bryce Morrison, Bay of Plenty (2021) Regan Judd, Hawke’s Bay Jonathan Bates, Nelson Jordan Carroll, Central Otago.

For more detail, please visit the Young Grower of the Year website:

www.younggrower.co.nz

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