Five contestants, including the first woman to take part in four years, are set to go head-to head for the title of 2014 Bay of Plenty Young Fruit Grower of the Year.

The contestants are Kiwifruit Vine Health operations advisor Christopher Clement; Katikati-based Apata Group Ltd technical advisor Craig Ward; EastpackTe Puke line quality manager Samantha Orr; Katikati's Hume Pack and Cool field manager Simon Bowker and Patrick Malley contracting manager/director of Onyx Capital Limited in Whangarei.

2013 Bay of Plenty Young Grower of the Year Chris Anstis of Opotiki, at the award night with Andrew Fenton, then president of Hort NZ (left) and Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy.

Although not from the Bay, Patrick is eligible to enter the contest because there is no young fruit grower event in his region.

The contestants will go head-to-head on Wednesday, June 18, in a day of practical and theory tests concluding with the awards dinner and their final speeches that evening at the ASB Arena, Mount Maunganui.

The winner Bay of Plenty Young Fruit Grower 2014 receives $1500 in cash, a one-day media and presentation training course in Wellington, as well as an all-expenses paid trip to Christchurch to compete for the title of NZ Young Fruit Grower and Young Grower of the Year. The second and third placed entrants receive $1000 and $500 respectively.

The public can attend the day's activities to support contestants and the awards dinner, where a keynote speaker will give an address.

Tickets for the dinner are $90 each or $850 for a table of 10 and are available by emailing info@nzkgi.org.nz or by phoning 0800 232 505.