Bay of Plenty Times
  • Bay of Plenty Times home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport

Locations

  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Katikati
  • Tauranga
  • Mount Maunganui
  • Pāpāmoa
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Bay of Plenty Times

New kiwifruit breeding centre confirmed for Bay of Plenty

Bay of Plenty Times
11 Aug, 2021 10:42 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
A new Kiwifruit Breeding Centre will operate from October 1.  Photo / File
A new Kiwifruit Breeding Centre will operate from October 1. Photo / File

A new Kiwifruit Breeding Centre will operate from October 1. Photo / File

A new kiwifruit breeding centre has been formally approved in the Bay of Plenty.

The centre, which will start operating from October 1, 2021, will be based in Te Puke as well as operating out of Kerikeri, Motueka and Mt Albert.

The centre is a 50/50 joint venture between Plant & Food Research and Zespri and will have a presence globally in selected kiwifruit regions.

Its focus would be driving greater innovation within kiwifruit breeding, focusing on creating healthier, better tasting and more sustainability focused varieties, Zespri and Plant & Food Research said in a joint statement today.

The proposal to create the centre was signposted publicly in December 2020, and followed two years of due diligence.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The centre has now received approval from both the Boards of Zespri and Plant & Food Research, as well as the shareholding Ministers of Plant & Food Research, which is a New Zealand Government-owned Crown Research Institute.

Read More

  • Kiwifruit industry pumps $108 million into Bay of Plenty pack houses - NZ Herald
  • Zespri: Bay of Plenty kiwifruit growers reap $1.55 billion in returns - NZ Herald
  • Want a job? The Bay of Plenty kiwifruit industry needs you - NZ Herald
  • Boost for Bay of Plenty: Zespri marks record 2020/2021 kiwifruit season - NZ Herald

It will be jointly funded by Plant & Food Research and Zespri, and the organisations will share royalties from any future commercialised new varieties.

Plant & Food Research chief executive David Hughes described the decision as an exciting step for industry and innovation.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"It's a natural evolution of the hugely successful 30-year relationship between Zespri and Plant & Food Research which has delivered the world-leading SunGold Kiwifruit variety, alongside Zespri Red.

"This new venture will carry us further and faster," he said.

Zespri chief executive Dan Mathieson said the new venture underpinned the industry's commitment to accelerate innovation.

"This is an exciting development for our industry and will allow us to extend New Zealand's position as the world's leading innovator in kiwifruit.

Discover more

New Zealand

Port workers question if Rio de la Plata workers knew they were sick

11 Aug 07:26 PM

"The centre represents our commitment to broaden our efforts exploring promising new varieties within our research pipeline and bring these to our growers and consumers faster."

 Zespri chief executive Dan Mathieson and Plant & Food Research chief executive David Hughes.  Photo / Supplied
Zespri chief executive Dan Mathieson and Plant & Food Research chief executive David Hughes. Photo / Supplied

Zespri and Plant & Food Research also announced experienced agrifood and innovation sector director Michael Ahie had been appointed to chairman of the Kiwifruit Centre Board.

Ahie is Chancellor of Massey University and a former chairman of Plant & Food Research.

Ahie said this was another milestone moment for the New Zealand kiwifruit industry.

"We are going to take our world-leading new cultivar development programme to the next level through the innovation of our people and increased investment by Zespri and Plant & Food Research.

"The kiwifruit breeding venture is fantastic news for the New Zealand kiwifruit industry and everyone who is a part of it."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Ahie said the board expected to announce the appointment of a chief executive officer for the new centre in the coming month.

-SUPPLIED CONTENT

Save
    Share this article

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Bay of Plenty Times

'We stress every time it rains': Neighbours' flooding fight

Live
Bay of Plenty Times

'Unstable air mass': Risk of heavy rain and thunderstorms for NZ

Premium
Bay of Plenty Times

Sunair still grounded but says progress being made


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Recommended for you

A night watching for drones with a Ukrainian air defence unit
World

A night watching for drones with a Ukrainian air defence unit

Villagers win race to save UK pub, as thousands close
World

Villagers win race to save UK pub, as thousands close

'We stress every time it rains': Neighbours' flooding fight
Bay of Plenty Times

'We stress every time it rains': Neighbours' flooding fight

Herald Hat-trick sports quiz: July 30
Sport

Herald Hat-trick sports quiz: July 30

Auckland FC make impressive start to Australia Cup
Auckland FC

Auckland FC make impressive start to Australia Cup

Silver Ferns confirm five new tests
Silver Ferns

Silver Ferns confirm five new tests



Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

'We stress every time it rains': Neighbours' flooding fight
Bay of Plenty Times

'We stress every time it rains': Neighbours' flooding fight

Te Puke neighbours urge council to take action to stop flooding during heavy rain.

29 Jul 06:00 PM
'Unstable air mass': Risk of heavy rain and thunderstorms for NZ
Live
Bay of Plenty Times

'Unstable air mass': Risk of heavy rain and thunderstorms for NZ

29 Jul 05:00 PM
Premium
Premium
Sunair still grounded but says progress being made
Bay of Plenty Times

Sunair still grounded but says progress being made

29 Jul 04:00 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Bay of Plenty Times e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Bay of Plenty Times
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search