Pipfruit industry plan outlines aims

Pipfruit New Zealand (PNZ) is working with schools, universities and Primary ITO to develop resources that will encourage more young people into the industry, as part of its strategic plan.

The growth strategy, entitled ''A Taste of the Future'', was released late last year and outlines PNZ's plans to improve its effectiveness in supporting the industry, as it works towards its goal of being worth a billion dollars by 2022.

The strategy called for identification of which roles PNZ was best placed to undertake, as well as which activities, objectives and priorities it needed to focus on.

Eight priorities were identified, including focusing on market access; improved relationships with the Ministry for Primary Industries, HortNZ and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; helping the industry tell the New Zealand apple story; identifying the most cost-effective ways to commercialise new varieties; and being better able to attract, develop and retain talent.

All the initiatives will be pulled together under one umbrella.

PNZ chief executive Allan Pollard said the industry needed to attract and retain more high-calibre people with the right skills for all roles, including finance and marketing and other specialists.

''There is a huge range of roles across the [industry] spectrum,'' Mr Pollard said.

''We have been working closely with HortNZ and the kiwifruit industry.

''The industry has already done quite a lot of work with schools.

''There are some really good programmes in place already to build careers within the industry, but it has happened in an unco-ordinated way in the past.

''We want clear career pathways for students and people in the industry.''

The new initiatives would be released within the next 12 months, Mr Pollard said.

There also needed to be strong succession plans on orchards, particularly as the average age of orchardists was rising, he said.

- by Yvonne O'Hara 

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