For the financial year ended 31 March 2025, the NZ Fruitgrowers’ Charitable Trust provided grants of $552,590 to support the fruit growing industry.
The trust’s chair, Andrew Fenton, says that while the total spend is up almost 10 percent against the previous year, the number of grants more than doubled to 31.The increase in grants reflects the broad range of activities funded by the trust.
The trust offers grants to the New Zealand fruit growing industry and is interested in applications that focus on research, education, fruit grower groups, generic industry issues, industry people and the flow-on benefit for New Zealand.
The trust awards grants from funds generated from financial assets, as well as rent from the trust’s key commercial building asset, the iconic heritage Huddart Parker building on Post Office Square in Wellington.
Grants distributed in the last financial year include:
- Support to local district associations with a focus on the Young Grower of the Year competitions
- Supporting the sector’s training initiatives, with an emphasis on developing leadership skills at all levels within the industry – including HortNZ’s Leadership Programme and Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme scholarships
- Assisting with education resources atthe secondary school level to attract school-leavers into the industry
- Helping to fund: NZGrower & Orchardist magazine, New Zealand·s premier grower resource for the horticulture sector; Fresh Facts, which provides data about New Zealand’s fresh produce industry; and New Zealand Horticulture Export Authority’s Barriers to Export Trade report
- Providing postgraduate scholarships to students for study in the fruit growing industry
- Assisting in funding various sector organisations that are actively promoting the health benefits of fruit consumption, including the 5+ A Day programme.
SUPPORT IN ADVERSE WEATHER EVENTS
To assist fruit growers in the Tasman/Marlborough area who have been affected by the weather events in June and July, the NZ Fruitgrowers’ Charitable Trust has made $50,000 available for fruit growers to assist with flood recovery, insurance assessment and to review financial and production outcomes.
The Motueka Fruit Growers Association is administering the funds. This funding follows on from the $219,000 that the NZ Fruitgrowers’ Charitable Trust spent to support fruit growers following Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023.
Full details of grants for the financial year 2024/25 are in the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Charitable Trust Annual Report.
For further information, contact the trust”s executive officer: .