Italy trip for top young grower

Pyes Pa Kiwifruit grower Campbell Wood is headed for Italy on a three month exchange as the 2011 participant in the Zespri-funded, Bruce Stowell Work Exchange Programme.

Campbell, who also recently won the Bay of Plenty Young Fruit Grower of the Year, will be in Italy from August to November this year, where he will work on an orchard. As part of the exchange, an Italian grower will visit New Zealand in March.


Campbell Wood with his employers Dave and Kathy Goodwin.

The Bruce Stowell Work Exchange Programme began in 2009 in memory of Bruce Stowell, a former HortResearch employee who spent 18 months in Italy assisting Italian growers establish the growing of the Zespri Gold varieties. Bruce died in 2002.
The objective of the exchange is to transfer knowledge of Zespri Gold kiwifruit and build strong, ongoing relationships in the global kiwifruit community.

Campbell works as a vine manager on an organic and conventional orchard in Pyes Pa and has a special interest in kiwifruit vine management.

His emphasis is on getting the best return from the orchard, balancing attributes of yield, fruit size, taste and other market requirements to produce the best economic outcome.

'Going to Italy will be a great opportunity for me and I look forward to what I can learn from the growers in Italy and vice versa,” says Campbell.

Zespri's global supply manager Simon Limmer says he's pleased to welcome Campbell to the exchange programme.

'The horticulture industry is working hard to encourage young horticulturists into the industry,” says Simon Limmer.

'Campbell is the perfect example of a younger generation of hard working growers that we need more off.

'Zespri is confident that he will do the memory of Bruce Stowell proud.”

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