Giant avocado and arty avo seats on the menu for Katikati

Jacqui Knight of Katch Katikati, John Bothwell of Katikati Rotary and Steve Greyson of Open Air Art demonstrate how big the giant avocado will be. Photo / Alison Smith

Every town needs a big fruit, right?

Katikati - the avocado capital of New Zealand - has a giant vision for when the world's avocado devotees gather in the country next year.

New Zealand won the right to host the World Avocado Congress in 2023. The industry has 1600 growers, 12 packhouses, 10 exporters and exports to 10 countries.

Katikati promoters plan to demonstrate the town's hospitality by positioning avocado- shaped seating with a special touch - artwork on the back of each seat in keeping with the town's other theme as Mural Town.

A sketch of the avocado seats planned for Katikati. Photo / Supplied

A giant avocado at Diggelmann Park will be the next key ingredient to give visitors a smashing time.

"We're at the point where we are ready to go door-knocking to raise funds to do both projects," says Katch Katikati promotions manager Jacqui Knight.

She says all the preparation work has been done and a dedicated working group with representatives from Rotary and Open Air Art are keen to hear from anyone willing to help make the recipe a success.

Sponsorship ranges from up to $250 for a bronze sponsorship to silver at $250 to $1000, gold for $1000 to $2500, and platinum for $2500 to $10,000.

All donations will be acknowledged on an adjacent storyboard.

Avocado chairs cost $6500 each and there's an opportunity to brand these with discrete corporate logos on the artistic designs and purchase a chair, says Jacqui.

"We want to make more of Katikati's claim to fame of who we are and be recognised as the avocado capital."

It's hoped enough fundraising and sponsorship can be found to create 10 avocado chairs and a giant avocado sculpture .

Steve Greyson, of Katikati Open Air Art, says no one saw any problem with Katikati being promoted as both a mural town and the avocado capital.

"The plan is to get artists painting the chairs and it ties everything together. The mural competition will be 10 artists doing their murals on the back."

Katikati Rotary's John Bothwell said Diggelmann Park was the ideal site for a giant avocado, being highly visible and already commemorating Katikati's pioneer history.

Katikati Rotary Club constructed a replica kauri dam in Diggelmann Park as a project to mark Rotary International's centenary. The project was unveiled and dedicated on May 21, 2005.