MEDIA RELEASE: Embargoed until 12am, 24 February 2017
24 February 2017
New Zealand’s kiwifruit growers begin referendum vote
- Support referendum for a compulsory levy on kiwifruit exports except Australia is now underway
- Levy funds growers’ advocacy organisation, New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc.
From 24 February until 17 March, New Zealand’s kiwifruit growers are invited to participate in a postal and online
referendum for a compulsory levy on kiwifruit exports except Australia.
The proposed levy would continue to fund NZKGI’s activities which will include an increased focus on communication and
the monitoring and reporting of industry performance. The last referendum took place in 2011. Since that time NZKGI has
used the levy to produce significant outcomes for kiwifruit growers. This has included the fight against Psa, to
advocate for the Single Point of Entry marketing structure and as a central stakeholder in the Kiwifruit Industry
Strategy Project.
NZKGI Chairperson, Doug Brown strongly encourages growers to vote in the referendum. “It is in each individual growers’
interest to be engaged in this process. The success of their business often comes down to the advocacy that NZKGI
provides them.”
The referendums significance is reinforced by NZKGI CEO Nikki Johnson who says, “this is an important opportunity for
kiwifruit growers to make their vote count. Grower votes will show the Minister for Primary Industries the level of
support there is to continue the funding for kiwifruit grower advocacy.”
All growers are entitled to vote and will be sent voting papers. A grower is considered to be the “titleholder of
kiwifruit”, meaning a person that has legal and beneficial title to kiwifruit when it is supplied to an exporter. The
grower is sometimes not the owner of land.
Growers who have not received a ballot pack in the post by Monday, 27th of February should contact NZKGI on 0800 232 505
or info@nzkgi.org.nz.
ENDS